TROUBLESOME and FREQUENTLY MISUSED VERBS

 

Welcome to today's lesson, as we continue in the fourth of our series of frequently confused and misused verbs.

Click Here to begin at the first unit in this 4-part series.

There are exercises at the end of this lesson. You will be able to check your answers.

SAY versus TELL

(to) SAY

"Say" is a transitive verb used with the following sentence structure:

We say something (to someone). The verb say requires a direct object.  The preposition to is required before the indirect object.

 (Subject)  + say  +  direct object
 (Subject)  + say  +  direct object  + to +  indirect object*

In quoted speech, the following structure is possible:

 (Subject)  +  say  + to +  indirect object +  direct object  +

 
  • I would like to say 'thank you.'
  • I would like to say 'thank you' to my teacher.
  • My sister said that she was going to buy the shorts.
  • My father said, "You have to go to college."

(to) TELL

We tell something to someone.

(subject)   tell  +  (indirect object) 
eg. I told him.

(subject)   tell  +  [direct object]
eg. I told the truth.

(subject)   tell  +  (indirect object)  +  eg.
I told him the truth.

(subject)   tell  +  [direct object]  +  to  +  (indirect object)
eg. I told the truth to him.

 
  • I told my teacher that I was very grateful to her.

  • My mother told me that she was going to buy me the shoes and socks.

  • My father told me that I had to go to college.

Grammar Geek

SAY or TELL?  Find and correct the error in the following sentences with the use of say and tell. Use the correct verb tense and verb form, too.

Find and correct the error with say or tell.

1.  Before I spoke English, I felt frustrated when I couldn't tell what I thought.

2.  The doctor said me that I don't have any allergies.

Solutions:  

1.  Before I spoke English, I felt frustrated when ...

2.  The doctor ...

Indirect Speech...

'say' and 'tell' with indirect (reported) speech

Please click here to learn about 'say' and 'tell' in indirect (reported) speech.

Next...  Verbs Chapter Review Exercises

In our next lesson...

We have our Verbs Chapter Review Exercises.

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