Ultrasharing Paylaşımın Adresi - Troubleshooting say tell

Troubleshooting say tell

Correct Form	Common Errors
He said he could not come to the party. He told me he could not come to the party.	He ~~told~~ he could not come to the party.
Tell is normally followed by a personal direct object (here = me) and is not often used for direct speech. See next item.
He said, 'I cannot come to the party.'	He ~~told~~ me, 'I cannot come to the party.'
*Say* is more often used to introduce direct speech (when the writer wishes to indicate the exact words used, as in novels). *Tell* is not often used to introduce direct speech, but it can be used, for example, to introduce a command or instructions. There were a lot of people in the street so I told my daughter: 'Stay near me. You won't get lost that way.'
It's not true. You're telling lies. I like it when Bob tells a story. He's a great storyteller.	It's not true. You're ~~saying~~ lies. I like it when Bob ~~says~~ a story. He's a great storyteller.
We do not use *say* with certain expressions: tell a joke tell a lie tell a secret tell a story tell the truth and in these cases it is not necessary to use a personal direct object. The children were too excited to sleep so I told (them) a bedtime story.
It's snowing. I knew it would and I said so. It's snowing. I knew it would and I told you so.	It's snowing. I knew it would and I said it.. It's snowing. I knew it would and I told you it.
It is better to use so rather than it in these situations. It is certainly more common.