0
Top answer
With some expressions you can only use tell: I don't know if he is telling me a lie or the truth. so Tell a lie, tell the truth. This is all that comes off the top of my head but I am sure we can build a nice thread on this topic.
- With some expressions you can only use tell: I don't know if he is telling me a lie or the truth.
- so Tell a lie, tell the truth.
- This is all that comes off the top of my head but I am sure we can build a nice thread on this topic.
- Cheers.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
9 Answers
0
With some expressions you can only use tell:
I don't know if he is telling me a lie or the truth.
so Tell a lie, tell the truth.
This is all that comes off the top of my head but I am sure we can build a nice thread on this topic. Cheers.
I don't know if he is telling me a lie or the truth.
so Tell a lie, tell the truth.
This is all that comes off the top of my head but I am sure we can build a nice thread on this topic. Cheers.
00
"say" can be followed by a personal pronoun connected with 'to':
'He said to me...'
while "tell" is always directly followed by a personal pronoun without 'to':
'He told me...'; except in special phrases mentioned by maj already: 'to tell the truth, to tell a lie'.
'He said to me...'
while "tell" is always directly followed by a personal pronoun without 'to':
'He told me...'; except in special phrases mentioned by maj already: 'to tell the truth, to tell a lie'.
00
Hi Pemmican,
Thanks alot,
That was a perfect answer,
So, can I say,
"Say" will always followed with a "to", and "Tell" has not?
now here I got doubt, In my previous statement, "Say" is not followed by To, but I feel I am correct, am I? any way i know you can help, "can I tell" is something wrong I feel, do we have to give exectiption to your statement if we
Thanks alot,
That was a perfect answer,
So, can I say,
"Say" will always followed with a "to", and "Tell" has not?
now here I got doubt, In my previous statement, "Say" is not followed by To, but I feel I am correct, am I? any way i know you can help, "can I tell" is something wrong I feel, do we have to give exectiption to your statement if we
00
Yes, you are correct:
As I just said "say" CAN be followed by a personal pronoun - this is not obligatory.
IF it is followed by such a pronoun, then it has to be connected with 'to'.
"tell" on the other hand MUST be followed by a personal pronoun which is directly connected without 'to';
Exceptions here are special phrases such as "to tell a lie/ the truth".
Do
As I just said "say" CAN be followed by a personal pronoun - this is not obligatory.
IF it is followed by such a pronoun, then it has to be connected with 'to'.
"tell" on the other hand MUST be followed by a personal pronoun which is directly connected without 'to';
Exceptions here are special phrases such as "to tell a lie/ the truth".
Do
00
0
say can't be followed by an object or object pronoun :
he said that i was right.
tell is followed by them:
he told me that i was right.
he said that i was right.
tell is followed by them:
he told me that i was right.
00
Hemaboss,
I'm afraid your "rule" for the use of "say" is not 100% correct. Pemmican explained it correctly.
In your example "He said that I was right", "that I was right" is the direct object ("say" is a transitive verb).
What it true is that this verb can be followed by an indirect object (which may or may not be a pronoun) only if we use "to" before the object:
"He said t
I'm afraid your "rule" for the use of "say" is not 100% correct. Pemmican explained it correctly.
In your example "He said that I was right", "that I was right" is the direct object ("say" is a transitive verb).
What it true is that this verb can be followed by an indirect object (which may or may not be a pronoun) only if we use "to" before the object:
"He said t
00
"you said you will come" is this correct or "you told me that you will com"
00
There is a difference between direct speech and reported speech:
You said, "I will come." (Direct speech)
You told me, "I will come."
You said that you would come. (Reported speech)
You told me that you would come.
You said, "I will come." (Direct speech)
You told me, "I will come."
You said that you would come. (Reported speech)
You told me that you would come.
0
Related Questions