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Hans51 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Don't tell me,

Is there a meaning difference between them?

Don't tell me, you were late again!! VS. Don't tell me that you were late again!!

I don't know why there is a comma there in the first example. Please help me out. Thank you in advance.
  

Top answer

Yes, they are different. Don't tell me, you were late again. (the speaker thinks/guesses that he or she was late again) Don't tell me that you were late again.

— Ivanhr

  • Yes, they are different.
  • Don't tell me, you were late again.
  • (the speaker thinks/guesses that he or she was late again) Don't tell me that you were late again.
  • (the speaker hopes that he or she wasn't late again but fears that he or she was indeed late)
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6 Answers
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Yes, they are different.

Don't tell me, you were late again. (the speaker thinks/guesses that he or she was late again)

Don't tell me that you were late again. (the speaker hopes that he or she wasn't late again but fears that he or she was indeed late)
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Wow, I am really shocked now. English...Emotion: crying
Then, do I have to tell it by contexts? Thank you in advance.
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Kwang Hee HanWow, I am really shocked now. English
No, not English. The comma would make the difference in my native language as well.
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wow! I am really shocked now.

That would look better Emotion: smile
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Thank you.

And I have brought this from Longman dictionary:

c) used when you want to keep someone's attention, but cannot think of what to say next:

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Further context is needed to be sure but the second sounds as if you're more insistent on getting the job done than the first one. It may also suggest that you want to persuade either your colleague or someone else of the necessity of completing the job.
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