SAY is used when the person spoken to is not mentioned, while TELL is used when the person spoken to is mentioned. The document then provides examples of sentences using say and tell based on whether the person addressed is mentioned or not. It also notes that direct speech should use say, and tell is used for commands when addressing a specific person.

2. SAY is used:
When the person spoken to is not mentioned.
Eg: John said (that) I was the prettiest girl in the group.
Mom always says (that) she’s tired of working.
Maggie was just saying (that) she might go back to school
* Refers to any kind of speach.
Example: Turn right, I said.
* We use it without a personal object.
Example: I said that she would be able.
* If we want to put personal object after
say we use “TO”. Example: She said to the students ...

3. TELL is used: a. When the person spoken to is mentioned.
Eg: Maggie just told me (that) she might go back to school.
He always tells his friends (that) he’ll be rich someday.
Try to remember that we tell somebody something (not tell to
somebody; tell is a ditransitive verb)
* It’s only used to mean “instruct or inform”.
* After “tell” we don’t use objects like: words, name, etc...

4. 1. He asked me what I was doing
and I said | told him I was
swimming across the lake.

5. 2. I was a little surprised and
asked him if there was a problem.
He said | told that there was too
much boat traffic and it was
dangerous.

6. 3. I realized that he was right and
said | told : 'That's too bad. I
suppose that means I must swim
near the shore.'

7. 4. He said | told me that I could
swim across the lake if I was
accompanied by someone in a
rowboat.

8. 5. He said that people in boats
couldn't see swimmers in the water
and said | told me to be careful
swimming back to shore.

9. 6. I was very careful and when
I reached the shore I said | told
my friends what had happened.

11. 6. I was very careful and when I reached the shore I said | told my
friends what had happened.
The people addressed, my friends, are mentioned, so you must use
tell.
7. They were surprised and said | told so.
The person addressed is not mentioned, so you must use say.
8. 'There are no US coastguard boats on a lake,' one of them said |
told , convinced I was lying.
This is direct speech, so you should use say. For more information
click on troubleshooting link at top of page.

12. 9. 'I'm saying | telling the truth,' I said, defensively.
This is one of those expressions where you use tell. For more
information click on troubleshooting link at top of page.
10. 'Why would I lie?' I said | told to them.
This is direct speech, so you should use say. For more information
click on troubleshooting link at top of page.
11. I also told them what the coast guard officer had said | told
about the rowboat.
The person addressed is not mentioned, so you must use say.
12. The coast guard guy told me it was dangerous but he also said |
told that I could swim across if I was accompanied by someone in a
rowboat.
The person addressed is not mentioned, so you must use say.
13. 'If that's the case,' my friend said | told , 'then I will swim with
you and Caroline can accompany us in a rowboat.'

13. This is direct speech, so you should use say. For more information
click on troubleshooting link at top of page.
14. I thought that would solve the problem, and said | told Caroline to
stay close to us.
The person addressed, Caroline, is mentioned, so you must use tell.
You always use tell when it is a command.
15. The coast guard boat approached us again and this time I said |
told the officer that, as he could see, we were accompanied by
someone in a row boat.
The person addressed, the officer, is mentioned, so you must use tell.
His response surprised me. He said, 'I can see two swimmers but only
one row boat.' I thought that he was being a bit too bureaucratic, but
my friend, who is American, was really angry. 'It's hard to believe,' he
said later, 'that the state motto for New Hampshire is Live Free or
Die.

14. Return

15. 1 - The person addressed, me, is mentioned, so you
must use tell
Return

16. 2 - The person addressed is not mentioned, so you
must use say
Return

17. Return

18. 3 -This is direct speech, so you should use say. For
more information click on troubleshooting link at
top of page.
Return

19. Return

20. 4 - The person addressed, me, is mentioned, so
you must use tell.
Return

21. Return

22. 5- The person addressed, me, is mentioned, so
you must use tell.
Return

23. Return

24. 6 - The people addressed, my friends, are
mentioned, so you must use tell.
Return

25. Return

26. 7 - The person addressed is not mentioned, so
you must use say.

28. 8 - This is direct speech, so you should use say.
For more information click on troubleshooting
link at top of page.

30. 9 - This is one of those expressions where you use tell.
For more information click on troubleshooting link
at top of page.

32. 10 - This is direct speech, so you should use say. For
more information click on troubleshooting link at
top of page.

34. 11 - The person addressed is not mentioned, so you
must use say

36. 12 - The person addressed is not mentioned, so
you must use say.

38. 13 - This is direct speech, so you should use say.
For more information click on troubleshooting
link at top of page.

40. 14 - The person addressed, Caroline, is mentioned, so
you must use tell. You always use tell when it is a
command.

42. 15 - The person addressed, the officer, is mentioned,
so you must use tell.