MEMBERS SIGN IN | REGISTER | ADVERTISE | CONTACT 54267 members

Resource centre > English grammar > teaching say and tell
We use say and tell in both direct and indirect speech.
DIRECT SPEECH: I said: "Go home." | I told him: "Go home."
INDIRECT SPEECH: I said that I was hungry | I told him that I was hungry.
We cannot use say or tell with indirect questions.
Jim asked (me) if I wanted to play football.
NOT: Jim told/said me if I wanted to play football.
With tell, we say who is told.
He told me that he liked playing tennis.
NOT: He said me that he liked playing tennis .
NOT: He told that he liked playing tennis.
With say, if we want to use a personal object, we use to.
He said to them that he would be late.
With other objects, we don't usually use tell.
He said a strange thing.
NOT: He told a strange thing.
We can use tell + object + infinitive to give orders and instructions.
I told my son to stop shouting.
She told me to shut up.
See also Reported speech | Reported questions
Sue said...
"Use 'tell' to give or ask for information. For example:
Please tell me your name.
Could you tell me your address.
I told him the time.
We wouldn't use 'say' in these examples as they are all asking for information."
|
|
TERMS OF USE | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY | CONTACT | ADVERTISE | LINKS | SITE MAP | TESTIMONIALS | LANGUAGE EXCHANGE | TEFL BLOG
© 2005-2008 eslbase.com - TEFL jobs and TEFL courses, information, advice and ESL resources for teachers - English grammar: Say and tell