said to do something

USAGE SUMMARY

"said to do something" is correct and usable in written English, and is often used when reporting what someone else has said.
For example: "The teacher said to complete the assignment by the end of the week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

He also wanted, he said, to "do something entrepreneurial again" rather than join forces with a large advertising holding company.

The New York Times

I can't tell you how many times I have seen people make mistakes because Ms. Orman said to do something that did not apply to their situation.

The New York Times

"If I listened to everybody who said to do something and I signed what I consider a marginal free agent?" Reese said in an interview last week.

The New York Times - Sports

"We felt there was a need for something like this," he said, "to do something different from condos, but to get a high yield.

The New York Times

"It was a recognition by Elsa of a temptation of mine," Rush said, "to do something too expository too soon," in this case to explain what Ned was thinking ("He was forgetting the war")  "rather than let the facts develop out of further action.

The New York Times

LONDON — A year after he first testified before Britain's official inquiry into the invasion of Iraq, Tony Blair, the former prime minister, returned on Friday to revisit his reasons for going to war and, he said, to do something he did not do the first time around — express his regret for the loss of life.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

When a politician says to do something, he is implicitly claiming that it is the right thing to do.

Huffington Post

for example if he says want to do something later today?

WikiHow

"He fell in love with it and said we have to do something together," Copeland said.

Los Angeles Times

"Your kid says they want to do something, and parents always say, "Later,' " Mr. Todd said.

The New York Times - Science

"I said we have to do something.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting indirect speech, ensure the tense and pronouns align with the original speaker's intended meaning. For example: "He said he wanted "to do something" different".

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by clearly identifying who is performing the action. A common mistake is to create sentences where it's unclear who "said" what and who is supposed "to do something". Clarify the sentence structure to remove potential confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "said to do something" functions as an infinitive phrase within a sentence, typically reporting indirect speech or instructions. As Ludwig AI explains, this construction is grammatically correct. Examples show its use in reporting advice, instructions, and intentions across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

17%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "said to do something" serves to report what someone was instructed, advised, or mentioned to do. Grammatically correct and versatile, as Ludwig AI confirms, it's commonly found in news, media, and general writing. While reporting indirect speech, ensure clarity in sentence structure to avoid ambiguity about who instructed and who acted. Consider alternatives like "asked to perform a task" or "instructed to carry out" depending on the specific context to convey instruction, request, or advice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

instructed to carry out

Highlights the formal instruction given to execute something.

asked to perform a task

Focuses on the act of requesting performance.

requested to take action

Emphasizes the initiation of action due to a request.

told to execute a plan

Specifies the execution of a pre-defined plan.

ordered to proceed with

Indicates a command to continue with a specific action.

recommended to undertake

Suggests a course of action that is deemed beneficial.

advised to consider doing

Implies a suggestion to contemplate a particular action.

urged to engage in

Emphasizes the strong encouragement to participate in an activity.

prompted to initiate

Focuses on the act of inspiring someone to start something.

counseled to implement

Highlights the advice given to put something into effect.

FAQs

How can I use the phrase "said to do something" in a sentence?

The phrase "said to do something" is used to report what someone was instructed, advised, or reported to do. For example: "The doctor "said to exercise" regularly".

What are some alternatives to "said to do something"?

Some alternatives include "asked to perform a task", "instructed to carry out", or "recommended to undertake", depending on the context.

What's the difference between "told to do something" and "said to do something"?

"Told to do something" usually implies a direct instruction, while "said to do something" can imply a report, advice, or rumor. In simple words, someone is explicitly instructed when they are "told to do something" but that's not necessary the case if they are "said to do something".

Is it grammatically correct to use "said to did something"?

No, "said to did something" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "said to do something", using the base form of the verb after "to".