Say, tell and alternative introductory(reporting) verbs
I. Basic uses of say, tell, and ask.
This three verbs are nor the same. The most important thing you should remember is that
- TELL must be followed by a personal indirect object, e.g.:
Tell somebody….
- SAY can be followed by an optional to + the person who is addressed, e.g.:
“ You haven’t got much time,” he told me/ he said(to me).
- ASK can be followed by indirect object, e.g.:
“Are you comfortable?” he asked(me).
He asked (me) if I was comfortable.
-In reported requests the inclusion or not of an object affects the meaning, eg.:
She asked to go( May I go?)
She asked me to go ( Will you go?)
II. Secondary uses of say, tell, and ask:
- say so
“The meeting’s off,” Jill said.
“Who says so?”
“The boss says so/said so,” Jill answered.
-Say+ object in fixed expressions, e.g.:
Say a few words, say no more, say nothing, say(your) prayers, say something
-Tell somebody so, e.g.:
“You were right about the meeting,” I said.
“I told you so,” Jill answered.
- tell+ object in fixed expressions, e.g.:
(can) tell the difference, tell lie, tell a story, tell the time, tell the truth
-ask for something, e.g.
I asked for a loan. I asked Jim for a loan.
-ask in fixed expressions, e.g.:
ask(for) a favour, ask the price, ask a question, ask the tim
III. Say and tell with direct speech:
a) SAY
- can introduce a statement or question or follow it, eg.:
Tom said, ”I’ve just heard the news”
“I’ve just hear the news” Tom said.
I said, “is it ready?”
- Inversion of say and noun subject is possible when it follows the statement.
- say+ to+ person addressed. It is possible but this must follow the direct statement.
Inversion is not possible here, e.g.:
“I’m leaving at once,” Tom said to me.
b)TELL
-requires the person addressed, eg.:
Tell me. He told us. I’ll tell Tom.
Except with tell lies/ stories/ the truth, when the person addressed need not be mentioned, e.g.:
He told(me)lies. I’ll tell(you) a story.
-Tell in direct speech must be placed after the direct statement, and inversion is not possible with tell, e.g.:
“I’m leaving at once,” Tom told me.
* Both say and tell can introduce direct commands, e.g.:
“Don’t touch that!” he said/told them.
IV. Say, tell and ask in indirect speech.
- Indirect statements are normally introduced by say or tell+ object.
-say + to + object is possible but much less usual than tell + object, e.g.:
He said he’d just heard the news.
He told me that he’d just heard the news.
- Tell…how/about, e.g.:
He told us how he had crossed the mountains.
He told us about crossing the mountains.
He told us about his journeys.
- Say and tell someone + optional that introduce indirect statements. We never use a comma after say or tell someone, e.g.:
He said(that)/told me(that) his life was in danger.
-When the reporting verb comes at the end of the sentence, we cannot use that, e.g.:
His life was in danger, he told me /he said.
- Ask can report a question.
-Ask(someone) is followed by if/whether or a question-word, e.g.:
-She asked(me) if/whether I wanted anything
-She asked(me) what I wanted.
-We use say/tell to introduce noun clauses, not to report questions.
V. Other useful verbs:
-add * - complain* - point out*
-admit* - deny* - promise*
-answer* - explain* - protest *
-argue* - grumble* - remark *
-assure+ object - object * - remind + object
-boast* - observe* - reply*
- These with * can be used with direct and indirect speech.
- With direct speech they follow direct statements, e.g.:
It won’t cost more,” Tom assured us.
- Starred (*) verbs can be inverted, provided the subject is a nous, e.g.:
“But it will take longer,” Bill objected/ objected Bill.
“It’ll cost too much,” Jack grumbled/ grumbled Jack.
-They can all introduce indirect statements. That should be placed after the verb, e.g.:
Tom assured us that it wouldn’t cost more.
But Bill objected/pointed out that it would take longer.
VI. Murmur, mutter, shout, stammer, whisper
- Can precede or follow direct statements or questions. Without noun subject the verb can be inverted, e.g.:
“You’re late,” whispered Tom/ Tom whispered.
-They can introduce indirect statements. That is usually necessary, e.g.:
Tom whispered that we were late.
- Other verbs describing the voice or the tone of voice, e.g.:
Bark, growl, roar, scream, shriek, snarl, sneer, yell –more common with direct speech.