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SAY and TELL (usage and difference)

SAY and TELL (usage and difference)

Date: Oct 11 2007

Topic: Grammar

Author: sakuralanguage

Lesson

     
There are a lot of times we get confused from using SAY and TELL.

I hope this will help to guide us all on their proper usage. 

    SAYTELL
       Say is used to report someone's words:  
     
       * She said "I'm thirsty." 
        * She said that she was thirsty.

       Say is followed by 'to' before the object: 
        * Did she say that to you?

       Say is used to ask about languages
        * How do you say 'water' in Spanish?

       We say
       hello, goodbye, please, thank you, 
       congratulations, Merry Christmas, 
       Happy New Year, Happy Birthday! 
     
     

       Tell is used to inform or instruct
        * Could you tell me the way to the station please? 
        * Tell the children to go to bed! 
     Tell is followed directly by the object : 
        *  Did she tell you her name?

       Tell is used for narration
        * Tom is good at telling stories.

       We tell
       the time, our name, the truth, lies, 
       the difference between two things.

 
 
 
 
 

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