tell
A1Very Common (High-Frequency, All Registers)
Definition
Meaning
To communicate information or facts to someone, often by speaking.
To give instructions, narrate a story, discern, reveal, have a noticeable effect, or give away a secret.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often involves a transfer of information from one person to another. Can be transitive (tell + object) or used with an indirect object (tell someone something). The word implies that the information is new or unknown to the listener. Related to, but distinct from, 'say' (which focuses on the words) and 'speak/talk' (which focus on the act of communication).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The phrasal verb 'tell off' (to reprimand) is common in both, but 'tell on' (to inform on someone) is more frequent in informal US English. The noun 'tell' (in poker/psychology) is used identically.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SVO (tell someone something)SVOiOd (tell something to someone)SV (e.g., age tells)SVOO (tell someone that...)SVO (tell a story)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “tell it like it is”
- “tell tales out of school”
- “you're telling me!”
- “time will tell”
- “all told”
- “a little bird told me”
- “live to tell the tale”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for reporting information, giving instructions, and presenting results (e.g., 'The data tells us we need a new strategy').
Academic
Used to state findings or narrate processes (e.g., 'The author tells of a significant cultural shift'). Often used with caution in formal writing, where 'state', 'report', or 'explain' may be preferred.
Everyday
Extremely common for sharing news, stories, or instructions (e.g., 'Tell me about your day').
Technical
In computing, a 'tell' can refer to an operation on a file descriptor to get the current position. In poker/psychology, a 'tell' is an unconscious behavior that reveals information.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Could you tell me the time, please?
- She told a fascinating story about her travels.
- Don't tell anyone, it's a secret.
- His experience began to tell during the marathon.
American English
- Can you tell me where the restroom is?
- He told everyone the good news.
- Tell the truth, now.
- The strain was starting to tell on the old bridge.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no adverb form).
American English
- (Not standard; no adverb form).
adjective
British English
- (Not standard; no adjective form. The participial adjective 'telling' exists: 'a telling argument').
American English
- (Not standard; no adjective form. The participial adjective 'telling' exists: 'a telling detail').
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Tell me your name.
- I can't tell the time yet.
- He tells funny jokes.
- Could you tell us how to get to the station?
- She told me she would be late.
- Can you tell the difference between butter and margarine?
- The witness told the police everything she had seen.
- His nervous laugh told me he was lying.
- All told, we raised over £500 for charity.
- The statistics tell a story of growing inequality.
- Years of smoking had begun to tell on his health.
- She has the tell-tale signs of someone who hasn't slept.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TALL person who loves to TELL stories. They can't help but share information.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFORMATION IS A TRANSFERRABLE OBJECT (you give/tell someone information). KNOWING IS SEEING (I can tell it's you = I can see/discren it's you).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse 'tell' with 'say' or 'speak'. Russian 'сказать' maps to both 'say' and 'tell'. Rule: 'tell' requires a listener object (tell SOMEONE). 'say' focuses on the words spoken, often followed by 'that' or direct speech.
- The command 'Tell!' is not idiomatic. Use 'Tell me!' instead.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'tell' without an object (e.g., 'He told that he was ill' instead of 'He told ME that...' or 'He SAID that...').
- Confusing 'tell' and 'say' (e.g., 'She told "hello"' instead of 'She said "hello"').
- Using the wrong past tense ('telled' instead of 'told').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'tell' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Tell' requires a listener (an indirect object: tell SOMEONE). 'Say' focuses on the words spoken and does not require a listener object (e.g., He said hello).
Rarely. It usually needs an object (a person or thing like 'a story'). Exceptions include idioms ('time will tell') or the sense of 'having an effect' ('The pressure is telling').
Yes, the past simple and past participle of 'tell' is always 'told'. 'Telled' is incorrect.
In informal contexts, it means to inform an authority about someone's misbehavior (common among children). It can also mean to have a tiring effect ('The long hours told on him').