tell
to inform someone about something, usually by speaking
- Used when someone gives information, a message, or a story directly to another person.
- Typically followed by an indirect object (the person who receives the information) and sometimes the information itself.
- Focuses on the act of communicating information from one person to another.
Forms
tell – base
tells – 3rd person singular present
telling – present participle/gerund
told – past simple and past participle
Usage
- tell + person + (what/why/how...) + [information]
- tell + person + [to + verb] (for giving instructions)
- For reporting speech or commands: She told me to wait.
Examples
- Please tell me the truth.
- He tells funny stories.
- I told her about the meeting.
- They told us to be quiet.
- She’s telling him the news right now.
'Tell' is used with the person who receives the information: 'I will tell you a secret.'
The past tense of 'tell' is 'told'.
'Tell' with instructions is followed by 'to + verb': 'She told me to leave.'
tell vs say
| tell | say | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | To inform or communicate to someone | To express words |
| Focus | The receiver of the information | The words spoken |
| Common Usage | tell + person + (something) | say + (something) [to someone]* |
| Example | She told me a secret. | She said, "Be careful." |
| Notes | Requires indirect object (person) | Can be used with or without an indirect object |
For say*, when including the listener: say + to + person
Correct use of 'say': 'She said hello.' or 'He said to me that he was tired.'
'Say' can be used without mentioning the listener: 'He said he was tired.'
tell is used to inform or communicate something directly to someone, focusing on the person who receives the information.
- Use tell + person + (information/idea).
- Past tense is told.
- For instructions, use tell + person + to + verb.
say focuses on the words spoken and is used differently than tell.
- say doesn’t require an indirect object (person), but tell does.
- Example: “She told me a secret” vs “She said a secret” (incorrect). You can say “She said a secret to me,” but it’s more common to use “told” for that meaning.
Use 'tell' when focusing on the listener: 'She told me...'
The past tense of 'tell' is 'told'.