Say vs. Tell

What Is It?

Say vs. Tell refers to a reporting contrast between the words spoken and the person receiving the message.

A1-A2 reference topic in Verb-Related Topics.

Why Use It?

Report speech clearly.
Add the listener after tell.
Avoid unnecessary to after tell.

Formation and Patterns

Use	Pattern	Example
Words only	`say + words`	She said hello.
Words to person	`say + something + to + person`	He said sorry to me.
Person + message	`tell + person + message`	They told us the answer.

Common Mistakes

Using tell without an object: say "She told me," not "She told."
Using say me: say "said to me" or "told me."
Using tell for exact quoted words without a listener.

Exceptions & Nuances

Tell also appears in fixed phrases such as tell the truth, tell a story, and tell a joke.