Say, Tell, Speak and Talk

← Grammar Hub
B1On my own or with a tutor

Say, Tell, Speak and Talk

In this lesson, you can choose a message frame with say or tell.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

Name a language you speak.

See one possible response

I speak English.

A community organiser relays a message and arranges a follow-up conversation with a guest.

What you will practise
  • Choose a message frame with say or tell.
  • Distinguish a language object from person/topic complements.
  • Describe a conversation with a clear partner and topic.

Try each response before revealing a model. Equivalent grammatical answers are welcome when they preserve the task meaning.

Say words; tell someone information

Say introduces words or a message. If you add the person, use to: She said hello to me. Tell commonly takes a person before the message: She told me the time. Some fixed noun phrases, such as tell a story, do not require a listener.

He said the meeting was at five.

He told us the meeting time.

The Asian woman greets the brunette with a small friendly wave and natural eye contact beside an isolated entrance coat stand, each holding a slim day bag.
She said hello to me.Say introduces the words; to introduces the listener.

Speak: language or communication

Speak can name a language: She speaks French. Speak to or with someone describes communication with that person. Speak about introduces a topic. Keep the preposition when the complement is a person or topic in these frames.

Our guide speaks two languages.

I need to speak to the organiser.

A language follows speak directly; a person needs a link

Name a language
the guidespeaksSpanish

The guide speaks Spanish.

Name a person
Could Ispeakto the organiser?

Could I speak to the organiser?

Use a language directly after speak. In speak to the organiser, to introduces the person you want to communicate with.

Talk: a conversation and its topic

Talk to/with someone about something is useful for an exchange: We talked to the host about the plan. Talk often foregrounds conversation; speak may sound more formal in some requests. Context matters more than a rigid formal/informal rule.

We talked about the next event.

Can I talk to you about the room booking?

The Asian woman tells the brunette the time while pointing to an analogue clock with indistinct unnumbered tick marks. The brunette listens attentively with a phone and folder, without invented dialogue.
She told me the time.Tell commonly places the person before the information.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.

1. She said me the time.

Compare a model and explanation

She told me the time.

Tell takes the person directly in this information frame.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

2. He said hello. Add to the visitors.

Compare a model and explanation

He said hello to the visitors.

Say uses to before this listener phrase.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

3. Our tutor ___ three languages. Use speak.

Compare a model and explanation

speaks

The language object follows speak directly.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

4. I need to speak the manager. You mean communicate with the manager.

Compare a model and explanation

I need to speak to the manager.

The person needs to or with in this meaning.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

5. We talked about the exhibition. Ask a question beginning What.

Compare a model and explanation

What did you talk about?

Retain about from the topic frame.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

6. Tell a story has no listener after tell. Is it necessarily incomplete?

Compare a model and explanation

No.

Tell a story is an established noun-complement expression.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

7. She speaks Italian. She is speaking to an Italian visitor. Which explicitly names a language ability?

Compare a model and explanation

She speaks Italian.

The second names a person, not necessarily the language used.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

8. The host gave you the arrival time and asked to discuss equipment later.

Compare a model and explanation

The host told me the arrival time. She wants to talk to us about the equipment later.

Choose different frames for information and discussion.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

A short conversation

Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.

Open the conversation transcript

Volunteer: What did the guest say about the visit?

Organiser: She said she could come on Friday and told me her arrival time.

Volunteer: Does she speak English?

Organiser: Yes. I’ll talk to her about the equipment tomorrow.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.

1. Which language was used with the group today?
Read the listening transcript

The guide speaks German, but she spoke to us in English today.

2. What was the later conversation topic?
Read the listening transcript

The organiser told me the date. Later, we talked about transport.

3. Is a listener explicitly required after told in the second phrase?
Read the listening transcript

He said hello to the visitors and then told a short story.

Answer key with explanations

  1. Which language was used with the group today?

    English.: In English explicitly gives the language of today’s interaction.

    Compare all choices
    • No language.: Spoken communication is described.
    • German necessarily.: German is an ability, not today’s stated language.
    • English.: In English explicitly gives the language of today’s interaction.

  2. What was the later conversation topic?

    Transport.: About transport names the later topic.

    Compare all choices
    • Transport.: About transport names the later topic.
    • Only the date.: The date was the earlier information.
    • Language lessons.: Those are not mentioned.

  3. Is a listener explicitly required after told in the second phrase?

    No; tell a story is complete in this context.: The fixed noun phrase works without an added listener.

    Compare all choices
    • The story must be a direct question.: Nothing makes it a question.
    • No; tell a story is complete in this context.: The fixed noun phrase works without an added listener.
    • Yes, so the sentence cannot be understood.: That ignores the established story pattern.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Choose the information frame with a named listener.
2. Complete: He said hello ___ us.
3. Choose the neutral language-ability statement.
4. Choose a request to communicate with a person.
5. Complete: We talked ___ the timetable.
6. Which tell phrase can be complete without a listener object?
7. She speaks French. Does this establish the language of every conversation she has?
8. Choose the clear person-and-topic frame.
Answer key with explanations

  1. Choose the information frame with a named listener.

    She told me the address.: Tell takes me before the information.

    Compare all choices
    • She talked me the address.: Talk does not form this information frame.
    • She told me the address.: Tell takes me before the information.
    • She said me the address.: Say does not take this direct listener object.

  2. Complete: He said hello ___ us.

    to: To introduces the listener with say hello.

    Compare all choices
    • for: Say hello to names the person greeted; for would need a different intended relationship.
    • of: Of does not identify the addressee here.
    • to: To introduces the listener with say hello.

  3. Choose the neutral language-ability statement.

    She speaks Portuguese.: Speak takes a language directly.

    Compare all choices
    • She speaks Portuguese.: Speak takes a language directly.
    • She says in Portuguese.: This lacks what she says and does not give the ordinary ability statement.
    • She tells Portuguese.: Tell does not express language ability with a language as its direct object.

  4. Choose a request to communicate with a person.

    Could I speak to the manager?: To introduces the person addressed.

    Compare all choices
    • Could I speak the manager?: A person is not the language object in this meaning.
    • Could I speak to the manager?: To introduces the person addressed.
    • Could I tell the manager?: This asks about telling the manager something, not directly requesting a conversation.

  5. Complete: We talked ___ the timetable.

    about: About introduces the topic.

    Compare all choices
    • with: With normally identifies a conversational partner, not the timetable as topic.
    • to: To would identify a person addressed, not this topic.
    • about: About introduces the topic.

  6. Which tell phrase can be complete without a listener object?

    tell a story: This is an established expression.

    Compare all choices
    • tell a story: This is an established expression.
    • tell me: This often needs recoverable content and is not the requested noun phrase.
    • tell to: To is left without a complement and the frame is incomplete.

  7. She speaks French. Does this establish the language of every conversation she has?

    No.: An ability statement does not specify every use.

    Compare all choices
    • It means she cannot understand French.: That reverses the ability meaning.
    • No.: An ability statement does not specify every use.
    • Yes, all conversations must be French.: That overstates the sentence.

  8. Choose the clear person-and-topic frame.

    I talked with Eva about the event.: With names the partner and about names the topic.

    Compare all choices
    • I talked Eva the event.: The required relations are not marked.
    • I talked about Eva to the event.: This makes Eva the topic and the event an implausible addressee, not the requested relation.
    • I talked with Eva about the event.: With names the partner and about names the topic.

Use it in your own words

Relay information

Report a brief message using say, then state what information the person gave you using tell.

Reveal a possible response

The host said the room was available. She told me the opening time.

  • Use two complete frames
  • Keep the source clear

Current statements without backshift can also be appropriate.

Arrange a conversation

State a person’s language ability and ask to talk with them about a practical topic.

Reveal a possible response

Our new guide speaks English. Could I talk to her about the route?

  • Separate language from addressee
  • Name a topic

Avoid assuming nationality determines language ability.

Put it all together

Explain a guest visit to a colleague: relay a message, give one piece of information received, mention a language and arrange a topic for follow-up.

Reveal a possible response

The guest said Friday was convenient. She told me she would arrive at ten. She speaks English, so I can talk to her about the workshop plan.

  • Use all four communication verbs naturally
  • Keep source, listener and topic clear
  • Do not turn a plan into a completed event

Different coherent details are welcome.

Take it with you

Say reports words, tell commonly takes a listener, and speak or talk describes communication. Choose a complete pattern that keeps person and topic clear.