Say vs Tell, which one is it? For Learners of English
I have found this interesting excercise for my students and wanted to share
For Spanish natives: Casi siempre que se pueda sustituir "decir" por "contar"...solemos usar tell. Ojo: la estructura es diferente.
Tell somebody something (Tell her the story)
Pero
Say something to somebody. (Say it to him)
"Say and Tell"
She said she didn't like it
She told me she didn't like it
What did she say to you?
What did she tell you?
Fill the gaps with the correct form of say or tell.
1 They _________________ on the news that everyone survived.
2 Come on. _________________ me everything.
3 You know what they _________________ about Bankok, don't you?
4 Mummy! The teacher _________________ a rude word in class today.
5 I hate the way she keeps _________________ me what to do.
6 Richie _________________ the same thing over and over again.
7 What did you _________________ to him?
8 What did you _________________ him?
9 He gave me his email address but he wouldn't _________________ what his phone number was.
10 He wouldn't _________________ me his phone number.
11 I thought she was my friend until I found out she'd _________________ all my secrets to everyone.
12 They _________________ that John's really mean with money.
13 He _________________ me I wasn't invited to the wedding.
14 She _________________ me all about her holiday in Sicily.
15 I couldn't understand a word of what he was trying to _________________ to me.
16 He _________________ me this funny story about what happened to him on holiday.
17 He wouldn't _________________ what the problem was.
5 Answers
Anybody?
Me! Me! 
1 They said on the news that everyone survived.
2 Come on. Tell me everything.
3 You know what they said/say about Bankok, don't you?
4 Mummy! The teacher said a rude word in class today.
5 I hate the way she keeps telling me what to do.
6 Richie says/said the same thing over and over again.
7 What did you say to him?
8 What did you tell him?
9 He gave me his email address but he wouldn't say what his phone number was.
10 He wouldn't tell me his phone number.
11 I thought she was my friend until I found out she'd told all my secrets to everyone.
12 They say/said that John's really mean with money.
13 He told me I wasn't invited to the wedding.
14 She told me all about her holiday in Sicily.
15 I couldn't understand a word of what he was trying to say to me.
16 He told me this funny story about what happened to him on holiday.
17 He wouldn't say what the problem was.
He wouldn't say to me his phone number.
This sentence has been corrected to "he wouldn't tell me his phone number".
Doesn't the former expression exist?.
1 They said on the news that everyone survived.
2 Come on.Tell me everything.
3 You know what they said about Bankok, don't you?
4 Mummy! The teacher said a rude word in class today.
5 I hate the way she keeps. Tell me what to do.
6 Richie said the same thing over and over again.
7 What did you say to him?
8 What did you tell him?
9 He gave me his email address but he wouldn't say what his phone number was.
10 He wouldn't say to me his phone number.
11 I thought she was my friend until I found out she'd told all my secrets to everyone.
12 They said that John's really mean with money.
13 He told me I wasn't invited to the wedding.
14 She told me all about her holiday in Sicily.
15 I couldn't understand a word of what he was trying to say to me.
16 He told me this funny story about what happened to him on holiday.
17 He wouldn't say what the problem was.
Tell somebody something (Tell her the story)
Pero
Say something to somebody. (Say it to him)
"Say and Tell"
She said she didn't like it
She told me she didn't like it
What did she say to you?
What did she tell you?
Fill the gaps with the correct form of say or tell.
1 They said on the news that everyone survived.
2 Come on. Tell me everything.
3 You know what they said about Bangkok, don't you?
4 Mummy! The teacher said a rude word in class today.
5 I hate the way she keeps telling me what to do.
6 Richie says the same thing over and over again.
7 What did you say to him?
8 What did you tell him?
9 He gave me his email address but he wouldn't say what his phone number was.
10 He wouldn't tell me his phone number.
11 I thought she was my friend until I found out she'd say all my secrets to everyone.
12 They say that John's really mean with money.
13 He told me I wasn't invited to the wedding.
14 She told me all about her holiday in Sicily.
15 I couldn't understand a word of what he was trying to say to me.
16 He told me this funny story about what happened to him on holiday.
17 He wouldn't say what the problem was.
Great Excercise Heidi. I thought I would help with corrections. I hope they are correct, hehe.
