say
1.可以说She is said to sing very well，不可说They say her to sing very well。
下面四句意思不同：
She is said to sing very well. （［现在］据说她歌唱得很好。）
She is said to have sung very well. （［现在］据说她过去歌唱得很好。）
She was said to sing very well. （［过去］据说她歌唱得很好。）
She was said to have sung very well. （［过去］据说她在那时以前歌唱得很好。）
2.say单独用作“说话”解现在极不普通，不该用它，如不该说He did not say和He said, and went out。
3.What do you say to a game of chess? 和What say you to a game of chess? 作“你高兴玩棋么？”解，第二种形式并不嫌古旧。What do you say to coming out to tea with me? 里的coming是动名词，不可改作come。
4.says I是不正当的口语。原来属于历史性现在时，不用say而用says，那是因为这历史性现在时通常多用在第三人称。例如：'If you will go,' says I, 'I will go with you.'
5.英国人在口语里往往说I say。例如：I say, what a fine view it is! 美国人通常不说I say而只说say。例如：Say, what a fine view it is!
6.say to...（不定式）是美国英语，作“说该…”解，那不定式所表示的动作有时泛指一般人，有时专指某人。例如：The teacher says to study carefully. 和My teacher gave me a great deal of advice, he said to study carefully. 也可以说My teacher said for me to study carefully。
7.下面两句意思相同，但语法不同：
It is said in the papers that there will be a chrysanthemum show next week.
It says in the papers that there will be a chrysanthemum show next week.
第一句里的that引导的从句是It的同位语，第二句里的It是非人称动词says的主语，那that引导的从句是says的宾语。
8.下面各句都可以说：
It is warm, not to say hot.
Your idea is original, not to say ingenious.
He denied the charge emphatically, not to say indignantly.
In your own interests, not to say mine, you must not do that.
以上几句不可改作：
It is hot, not to say warm.
Your idea is ingenious, not to say original.
He denied the charge indignantly, not to say emphatically.
In my interests, not to say your own, you must not do that.
9.下面三句意思相同：
He said: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
'Quality matters more than quantity,' he said.
'Quality matters more than quantity,' said he.
不可说：
Said he: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
但假使把he改作名词，就可以说。例如：
Said Mr Jackson: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
Said our teacher: 'Quality matters more than quantity.'
这种结构主要用在报纸里。