What is the difference between telling and saying

Tell can have a direct and indirect object. Tell me a story. Not "say" Don't tell lies. Tell the truth. Not "say. But that means that you have the freedom to speak. Tell us what happened. This page has been archived and is no longer updated.

Find out more about page archiving. He told me that he was going into hospital for a major operation. He said that he expected to be kept in for about six weeks. I had to admit that they no longer looked quite new. I warned him that he would be disqualified if he cheated in the exam. She taught me everything I know. Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. Follow us. Choose a dictionary. Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English.

Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English. Grammar Thesaurus. Word Lists. Choose your language. Adjectives Adjectives: forms Adjectives: order Adjective phrases: functions Adjective phrases: position Adjectives and adjective phrases: typical errors.

Comparison: adjectives bigger , biggest , more interesting Comparison: clauses bigger than we had imagined Comparison: comparisons of equality as tall as his father As … as.

Adverbs Adverb phrases Adverbs and adverb phrases: position Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors Adverbs: forms Adverbs: functions Adverbs: types Comparison: adverbs worse, more easily Fairly Intensifiers very, at all Largely Much , a lot , lots , a good deal : adverbs Pretty Quite Rather Really Scarcely Very.

Above or over? Across , over or through? Advice or advise? Affect or effect? All or every? All or whole? Allow , permit or let? Almost or nearly? Alone , lonely , or lonesome? Along or alongside? Already , still or yet? Also , as well or too? Alternate ly , alternative ly Although or though? Altogether or all together? Amount of , number of or quantity of?

Any more or anymore? Anyone , anybody or anything? Apart from or except for? Arise or rise? Around or round? Arouse or rouse? As or like? As , because or since? As , when or while?

Been or gone? Begin or start? Beside or besides? Between or among? Born or borne? Bring , take and fetch Can , could or may? Classic or classical? Come or go? Consider or regard? Consist , comprise or compose? Content or contents? Different from , different to or different than? Do or make? Down , downwards or downward? During or for?

Each or every? In the sentence below, for example, you could use any of the verbs shown, and more. Learner's Dictionary mobile search. Learner's Dictionary. Ask the Editor. What's the difference between say and tell? Vocabulary Quiz. Take the Quiz ».