“I Heard” vs. “I Was Told”: What’s the Difference?
Jun 8, 2023
Engram
The difference between “I heard” and “I was told”
- "I heard" does not identify the source of information, while "I was told" does.
- "I was told" suggests greater reliability than "I heard."
- "I heard" can indicate secondhand information, while "I was told" does not necessarily imply this.
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What is the definition of “I heard” and “I was told”?
I heard
- This phrase is used to indicate that the speaker received information from another person, without specifying who the source is.
- "I heard" implies that the information may not be completely reliable, as the speaker did not verify it themselves.
- It can also be used to convey that the information is secondhand and not the speaker's personal experience.
I was told
- This phrase is used to indicate that the speaker received information from a specific source.
- "I was told" implies that the information should be more reliable, as it came from an identifiable source.
- It can also be used to indicate that the speaker did not experience the situation firsthand.
Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?
“I heard” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
I heard
137,000,000 results on the web
Examples
- I heard that the new restaurant in town has amazing food.
- I heard that John got promoted to manager.
- I heard that it's going to rain all week.
I was told
72,700,000 results on the web
Examples
- I was told that the meeting has been rescheduled to next week.
- I was told that Sarah is getting married in the fall.
- I was told that the movie we wanted to see is sold out.
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