say和tell的用法区别大比较
爱思英语编者按:say和tell算是一对同义词,都表达“说”的意思。常常有同学分不清在哪些情况下该用say,哪些情况用tell,今天就来重点区分一下。 Say or Tell? 1. Say and Tell have no difference in meaning in this context except for the structure of the sentence. You SAY something You TELL someone something 2. Use SAY when you’re quoting someone or with ‘thank you’, ‘sorry’ and ‘hi’. “Johnny, say thank you to the lady for giving you the ice cream”. “Say hi to Tom when you see him later”. “Silvia says sorry for not getting back to you earlier. She has been so busy with work” 3. Use TELL when giving/asking for information or asking for instructions “Could you tell me the time?” ( information) “Can you tell me the quickest way to the railway station?” (instructions) “Could you tell me when the next sales meeting will be?” (information) “Hold on, I need to tell you something“ (information) “Can you tell me how to work this computer?” (instructions) 4. We use TELL when we recognise signs A: “You’ve been in the sun, haven’t you? A: You’re from the UK, aren’t you? A: How can you tell you’re in love? 5. TELL – Special Expressions a. Tell a story or tell a joke “I love telling jokes with my friends” b. Tell the truth or a lie “He has told so many lies in his career” c. Tell Secrets “He loves telling secrets” d. Tell the difference or tell things apart “Can you tell me the difference between these two shirts?” |