Sayandtellare irregular verbs. The past simple ofsayissaid, the past simple oftellistold:
They asked if I was looking for work and Isaidyes.
Then hetoldme how he had got the job by lying about his age.
We usesayandtellin different ways in reported speech.Sayfocuses on the words someone said andtellfocuses more on the content or message of what someone said:
‘Hello,’ shesaid.
Not:‘Hello,’ she told.
Shetoldhim they were going on holiday.(The focus is on the information.)
We usesaywith direct speech. We don’t normally usetellin this way:
Hesaid, ‘I’m not paying £50 for that.’
See also:
Reported speech
Sayandtellwith objects
Bothsayandtelltake a direct object. The object is most commonly the reported clause (the report of what someone said).
reporting clause | reported clause (direct object) |
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Tellnormally takes an indirect object (one or more people = io) and a direct object (the reported clause = do):
The boy told[IO]us[DO]he didn’t want any money.
However, we usetellwithout an indirect object with words such asthe truth, a lie, a joke, a story:
You should nevertell a lie.
Not: …say a lie.
Come on Kevin. You’re good attelling jokes.
Saydoes not take an indirect object. Instead, we use a phrase withto:
And then shesaid to me, ‘I’m your cousin. We’ve never met before.’
Not:And then she said me…
Tell+ indirect object +to-infinitive
We usetellwith an indirect object and ato-infinitive to report a command or an instruction. We don’t normally usesayin this way:
Theytold us to comeback the next day.
Not:They said us to come…
Theytold her to waittill the doctor arrived.
But in informal speaking, we sometimes usesay+to-infinitive to report a command or an instruction:
I asked him if he wanted it today but hesaid to leaveit till tomorrow.
Typical errors
We don’t use an indirect object withsay:
‘I’m in a hurry,’ hesaid to me.
Not: …he said me.
We don’t usetellwithout an indirect object when we report someone’s words:
Then a loud voicesaid, ‘Hello.’
Not: …a loud voice told, ‘Hello.’
Shesaidshe would wait for us outside.
Not:She told she would wait…