Grammar › Reported Speech › Say vs Tell
Say vs Tell
The simple rule is about who follows the verb:
- Tell + person — She told me a secret (you must name the person).
- Say (+ to + person) — She said hello; She said (that) it was late.
Fixed phrases to memorise: tell the truth / a lie / a story / the time, but say sorry / hello / a word / nothing.
The difference in one table
| Say | Tell | |
|---|---|---|
| Person after the verb? | no (or ‘to’ + person) | yes — always |
| Example | She said she was tired. | She told me she was tired. |
| With ‘to’ | She said hello to him. | — (never ‘told to me’) |
| Fixed phrases | say hello, say sorry, say a word | tell the truth, tell a story, tell the time |
The quick test: if a person comes straight after the verb, use tell; if not, use say.
When to use each
1. Tell — with a person
- She told me the news.
- Tell him to wait.
2. Say — without a person (or with ‘to’)
- He said he was busy.
- She said goodbye to everyone.
3. Learn the fixed phrases
- tell the truth / a lie / a story / the time
- say hello / sorry / nothing / a word
⚠️ Typical error: no ‘to’ after tell, and no person straight after say: She told me (not
told to me); She said to me (notsaid me).
Common mistakes
1. ‘Say me’ instead of ‘tell me’. She said me the answer → She told me the answer.
2. ‘Tell to me’ instead of ‘tell me’. He told to me a story → He told me a story.
3. Wrong fixed phrase. say the truth → tell the truth.
✏️ Practice: Say vs Tell
1. She ___ me the good news.
2. He ___ that he was tired.
3. Please ___ the truth.
4. Did you ___ hello to your parents?
5. Choose the correct version of: 'He said me to wait.'
6. Children love it when you ___ them a story.
7. She didn't ___ a word all evening.
8. Can you ___ me the time, please?
9. He ___ goodbye and left.
10. Which sentence is correct?
11. Fill in the gap
She ___ me the answer.
Type said or told.
12. Correct the mistake
Please say the truth.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
13. Fill in the gap
He ___ hello to everyone and sat down.
Type said or told.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between 'say' and 'tell'?
'Tell' is followed directly by a person (tell me, tell her); 'say' is not (say hello, say that…). You tell someone something, but you say something.
Can I use 'to' with these verbs?
With 'say' you can add 'to + person': She said hello to me. With 'tell' you don't use 'to': She told me (not 'told to me').
Which fixed phrases use 'tell'?
Tell the truth, tell a lie, tell a story, tell a joke, tell the time, tell the difference.
Which fixed phrases use 'say'?
Say hello/goodbye, say sorry, say a word, say a prayer, say nothing, say yes/no.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Say vs Tell”:
- Can apply the rule 'tell + person' vs 'say (+ to + person)' (CEFR A2).
- Can use the common fixed phrases with say and tell.
- Can avoid 'say me' and 'tell to me'.
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