Vocabulary Builder · 3-minute read
Say or tell?
Tell usually needs a person; say focuses on the words spoken.
The simple rule
Say something to someone, but tell someone something.
See the difference
✓ Say thisShe told me the news.
✕ Avoid thisShe said me the news.
Try it yourself
Say the correct example aloud, then create a sentence about your own life using the same pattern.