It's very kind of you to tell me the truth.

你真好,告诉我这真相。

Let me tell you some details about clearance.

让我告诉你一些通关的细节。

tell that joker to stop using my parking space.

叫那个家伙不要占用我的停车场。

He always does what his superiors tell him.

他惟上级之命是从。

He wanted to tell the news to the world.

他要把这件事告诉每一个人。

I always tell my daughter a story before she goes to sleep.

女儿睡觉之前，我总讲故事给她听。

I can't tell you how happy I am.

我无法向你表达我多么高兴。

Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddnest thought.

我们最甜蜜的歌就是表达最苦恼思想的歌。

It is hard to tell who is who in the parade.

在游行队伍中很难分清谁是谁。

I can never tell natural silk from artificial.

我不能分辨真丝和人造丝。

It's impossible to tell who will win the next election.

下届选举谁能获胜无法预知。

I can tell from the way you speak that you are from Australia.

根据你说话的方式,我能判断你是澳大利亚人。

You promised not to tell but you have done so .

你曾保证过不泄露机密，可是你却把它泄露了出去。

They pledged themselves never to tell the secret .

他们保证绝不泄露秘密。

You're saying you gonna tell on me?

你是说你想要告发我?

If someone tried to blackmail me I would tell the police.

如果有人企图敲诈我，我就向警察告发。

Your efforts are beginning to tell.

你的努力正在开始产生效果。

His unselfish work is beginning to tell.

他无私的工作开始产生效果。

He told the news to everybody he saw.

他逢人便讲这个消息。

He told everybody he saw the news.

他逢人便讲这个消息。

Why wasn't I told about the accident?

为什么没人把这次事故告诉我？

Did she tell you her name?

她告诉你她的姓名了吗？

What did I tell you ? (= you should have listened to my advice)

我跟你说什么来着？

They've told us (that) they're not coming.

他们已跟我们说过不来了。

In the evening I returned to tell Phyllis our relationship was over...

晚上我回来告诉菲莉丝我们之间完了。

I called Andie to tell her how spectacular the stuff looked...

我打电话告诉安迪，那东西看上去太棒了。

His friends say he was always quick to tell a joke...

他的朋友们说，以前他讲笑话总是张嘴就来。

He told his story to The Sunday Times and produced photographs...

他把自己的经历讲述给了《星期日泰晤士报》的记者，还提供了照片。

A passer-by told the driver to move his car so that it was not causing an obstruction...

一个过路人叫那个司机把他的车挪一挪，免得挡道。

She told me on the telephone to come help clean the house.

她在电话里叫我过去帮忙打扫屋子。

'Come on', she told herself...

“加油！”她在心里暗暗打气。

I told myself I would be satisfied with whatever I could get.

我告诉自己，不管得到什么我都会心满意足的。

It was already impossible to tell where the bullet had entered...

已经无法判断子弹是从哪里打进来的。

I couldn't tell if he had been in a fight or had just fallen down...

我不知道他是和人家打架了，还是仅仅摔了一跤。

I can't really tell the difference between their policies and ours...

我真的看不出他们的政策和我们的有什么不同。

How do you tell one from another?...

你怎么把他们区分开来？

Many of the children know who they are but are not telling.

许多孩子知道他们是谁，可就是不说。

The facts tell us that this is not true...

事实告诉我们，这不是真的。

I don't think the unemployment rate ever tells us much about the future...

我认为，从失业率上永远看不出未来的情况究竟如何。

The pressure began to tell as rain closed in after 20 laps...

跑完 20 圈以后，眼看就要下雨了，大家开始紧张起来。

The strains of office are beginning to tell on the prime minister.

首相开始感到公务繁忙的压力了。

As far as I can tell, Jason is basically a nice guy...

据我所知，贾森算得上是个好人。

So far as anyone can tell, there's evidence that there was a Robin Hood...

众所周知，有证据表明确实有罗宾汉这么个人。

I tell you this, I will not rest until that day has come...

我可以肯定地说，不到那天我不会休息。

This little letter gave us a few chuckles, I can tell you...

说真的，我们看了这封短信都笑了。

You never can tell what life is going to bring you.

你永远不知道人生会给你带来些什么。

Her parents did not approve of her decision and, if she failed, her mother would say, 'I told you so.'

她父母不赞同她的决定，要是她失败了，她妈妈就会说：“怎么样，我说对了吧？”

I tell you what, I'll bring the water in a separate glass.

要不这样吧，我用另一个玻璃杯把水端过来。

用作不及物动词S+～(+A)

1. I can't tell.
   我说不上来。
2. Who can tell?
   谁能说出来?
3. As far as I can tell,Sylvia has split up with Mark.
   就我所知,西尔维娅已同马克离婚。
4. I promise not to tell.
   我保证不泄露出去。
5. May your efforts tell in your studies.
   愿你的努力在学习上取得成果。
6. His unselfish work is beginning to tell.
   他无私的工作开始产生效果。
7. The influence of the school has begun to tell.
   学校的影响已开始起作用了。
8. Her nervousness began to tell as soon as she entered the room.
   她一走进屋就显得神经紧张。
9. My stomach begins to tell.
   我觉得肚子饿了。
10. Every blow tells.
    打一下是一下。

用作及物动词S+～+ n./pron.

1. Don't look till I tell you.
   我叫你看,你再看。
2. What have you been thinking about?tell me.
   你一直在想些什么?告诉我。
3. Mind that you don't forget to tell him.
   记住,别忘了告诉他。
4. I'll tell her, but it won't have any effect.
   我可以告诉她,但不会起什么作用。
5. Do as I tell you and you shall be set free.
   按照我说的话去做,你就可以获得自由。
6. In this hour of victory, we had so much to tell each other.
   在这胜利的时刻,我们有多少话要说啊!
7. I detest people who tell lies.
   我痛恨撒谎的人。
8. You're telling me, the price of beer is ridiculously high!
   我同意,啤酒的价格真是高得荒唐!
9. The child can already tell the time.
   那孩子已会看钟点了。
10. It was difficult to tell his exact age.
    很难判断他到底多大岁数。
11. Her face told her joy.
    她脸上流露出欢乐。
12. She playfully inspected Martin's hand and told his fortune.
    她闹着玩,看马丁的手给他算命。
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13. This can hardly be told in words.
    这简直没法用言语说出来。
14. The story was told from one generation to another.
    这故事一代代往下传。
15. That's what I was told.
    这就是我听到的。

S+～+wh-to- v

1. The recipe tells how to make maple syrup dumplings.
   这个制法讲如何做枫糖点心。

S+～+wh-clause

1. No one could tell exactly what was going to happen.
   谁也不能猜出到底会发生什么情况。
2. No one can tell where or when or how he will die.
   没有谁能知道自己在何处、何时及怎样死亡。
3. Can you tell which is which?
   你能看得出哪是哪吗?

用作双宾动词S+～+ pron./n. + n./pron.

1. tell me your address and telephone number, please.
   请告诉我你的住址和电话号码。
2. Why has nobody told me this before?
   为什么以前没人告诉我这事?
3. Has she told you the price?
   她告诉你价钱了吗?
4. The teacher won't tell the students the answer to the question till everyone hands in his exercise book.
   等每个学生都交了练习本后,教师才会把答案告诉他们。
5. He finally told her his decision.
   他终于把他的决定告诉了她。
6. I don't want to influence you either way, so I won't tell you my opinion.
   我不想对你有任何影响,所以我不告诉你我的看法。
7. The editor called me to his office to tell me the news.
   编辑把我叫到他的办公室告诉我这个消息。
8. The old lady next door was telling me all her troubles.
   隔壁的老太太正在对我诉说她的种种烦恼。
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9. We all jumped for joy when we were told the news.
   我们被告知这个消息时,大家都高兴得跳了起来。
10. I've been told this seriously by some high officials.
    有几个高级官员郑重地跟我谈过这一情况。

S+～+ n./pron. +to pron./n.

1. He told the news to everybody in the village.
   他把这个新闻告诉了全村的每一个人。
2. Next morning,Beauty told this dream to her father.
   第二天早晨,美人把这个梦告诉了她的父亲。
3. I didn't intend to tell it to you.
   我本不打算把这事告诉你的。
4. He told the whole story to John.
   他把全部经过告诉了约翰。
5. I want you to tell my friend your very interesting experience exactly as you have told it to me.
   我要你把自己非常有趣的经历像讲给我听那样告诉我的朋友。

S+～+ n./pron. +wh-to- v

1. He will tell you how to get there.
   他会告诉你怎么去。
2. She told us which number bus to take.
   她告诉了我们坐哪路公共汽车。
3. I'll tell you what to do.
   我来告诉你怎么办。
4. Did they tell you when to start out?
   他们告没告诉你什么时候出发?
5. Please tell me where to get the form.
   请告诉我在哪里拿表格。
6. If Brian uses my parking space again,I'll really tell him where to get off.
   如果布赖恩再占我的停车位置,我真的要痛骂他了。

S+～+ pron./n. +(that-)clause

1. She told me in her letter that they had got another bumper harvest this year.
   她在信里告诉我,他们今年又获得了丰收。
2. The old woman told him that she had two grandsons at the front.
   老太太告诉他说,前线上有她两个孙子。
3. You might tell them that I hope to be back tomorrow night.
   你可以告诉他们,我希望明晚回来。
4. She told me she was going to Shanghai.
   她曾告诉我她要去上海。
5. tell him I'll be back in half an hour.
   告诉他,我半小时后就回来。
6. I've tried to tell him he's wrong, but he still holds to his original opinion.
   我已经试图让他知道错了,但他仍坚信原来的想法。
7. A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.
   炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
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8. I was told that he had left the job a long time before.
   有人告诉我说,他早已不干这个工作了。

S+～+ n./pron. +wh-clause

1. I'll tell you what I've been thinking.
   我来给你讲讲我这段时间的想法。
2. Now,I'll tell you how I got that.
   好,我来告诉你们我是怎样弄到那东西的。
3. Can you tell me why you have to say so?
   你能否告诉我你为什么要这样说吗?
4. tell me to whom I should give the letter.
   告诉我这信该给谁。
5. The light tells you if the machine is on.
   指示灯告诉你机器是否在工作。

引出直接引语

1. “She isn't eating,” they told me.
   “她没有吃,”他们告诉我说。
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2. “Open it and see what's inside,”I was told.
   “打开它看看里面有什么”,有人告诉我说。

用作宾补动词S+～+ n./pron. +to- v

1. tell him to wait for us at the gate.
   让他在大门口等我们。
2. I told her to send the letter by airmail.
   我叫她把那封信寄航空。
3. The commander told the soldiers to stay where they were.
   指挥员命令士兵们留在原地。
4. He told us again and again to be on guard.
   他一再要我们提防。
5. Mother told you to be home by ten.
   妈妈让你十点前回到家里。
6. He told us not to worry about him.
   他让我们不要为他着急。
7. Who told you to come out?
   谁叫你出来的?
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8. I have been told to wait here.
   我被告知在此等候。
9. His family, paying $126 a week for the house, were told by the landlord to pay $130.
   他家本来每星期交房租126美元,房东要他们交130美元。

all told

总共 be counted and included with all people, items, etc.

tell about (v.+prep.)

告诉有关…的情况 give sb information such as a story, concerning sb/sth
tell about sb/sth

She told about Linda, who was very kind to her.

她谈了谈林达的情况,林达对她非常好。

He told about Mrs.Emily, who was kind and charitable.

他讲了艾米莉夫人的事,她既善良又宽厚。

He told about his plans.

他谈到他的计划。

I don't want to tell about my failure.

我不想讲我的失败。

His face tells about his honesty.

他的表情可以说明他的诚实。

tell sb/sth about sb/oneself/sth/v-ing

Then briefly she told us about herself.

于是她简单地给我们谈了谈她的情况。

Can you tell me about that?

你能把那个故事讲给我听吗?

I'll tell you about it later.

这事我以后再告诉你。

I told Brosin about that the other night.

前些天一个晚上我给布罗辛谈了这件事。

Can you tell me about a way to prevent milk from turning sour in hot weather?

你能告诉我热天防止牛奶变酸的方法吗?

Has she told you about leaving China for home?

她跟你谈了离开中国回国的事了吗?

tell against (v.+prep.)

证实对…不利 be recorded as unfavourable to sb/sth
tell against sb/sth

In an investigation, a new fact became known, which told against him.

在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。

Her poor eyesight is bound to tell against her applying for a job.

她视力不好,必然不利于她找工作。

tell apart (v.+adv.)

区分开 be able to recognize the difference between (two or more people or things)
tell sb/sth apart

The two brothers are so much alike that their own mother can hardly tell them apart .

这两兄弟长得太像了,连他们的母亲几乎都不能区分他们。

tell from (v.+prep.)

辨别 be able to distinguish one person or thing from another
tell sb/sth from sb/sth

Can you tell her from her twin sister?

你能将她和她的孪生姐妹分开吗?

How can we tell the good from the bad?

我们怎么能区分好坏?

He is a fellow who can't tell right from wrong.

他是个分不清是非的人。

tell it like it is

讲真话,说实话 speak the truth; be perfectly honest

tell me another

不见得 not believe sth

tell of (v.+prep.)

告诉某人有关…的情况或信息 give sb information such as a story, concerning sb/sth
tell of sth

I'm telling here of a time long ago.

我现在讲的是很久以前的故事。

He also told of the intimate friendship he had formed with the Burudi people.

他还讲到了他和布隆迪人民结下的亲密友谊。

They told of the excellent situation prevailing in their province.

他们谈了谈他们省的大好形势。

The book tells of her sister's life in new China.

这书谈到了她妹妹在新中国的生活情况。

Her blush told of her embarrassment.

她脸红显露出她的困窘。

The calculating look in his eyes told of Norman blood.

他那工于心计的眼神显示出他有诺曼人的血统。

tell sb of sth

She told us of the difficulties she had met with in her work.

她给我们谈了谈她在工作中碰到的困难。

She told me of what she had been reading and her plan for the next term.

她给我讲了一下她这段时间看的书和她下学期的计划。

We must tell them of our decision.

我们应当把我们的决定告诉他们。

tell off (v.+adv.)

分派 order sb to do sth
tell sb ⇔ off (for sth/v-ing)

Mr. Black got angry and told off the boss.

布莱克先生一怒之下责骂了上司。

Some of them have assumed arrogant airs and become fond of telling people off.

他们有些人架子大了,变得喜欢训人了。

Mum told me off for wearing my best shoes for playing football.

妈妈责骂我穿着最好的鞋子去踢足球。

The conductor told the school boys off for the throwing litter on the floor of the bus.

公共汽车司乘员训斥了那些在车内乱扔果皮纸屑的小学生。

The director told him off for being late for work again.

主任责备他上班又迟到了。

The little boy's mother told him off for being naughty.

小男孩的母亲因为他淘气把他骂了一顿。

He didn't like being told off for something he hadn't done.

他不愿因自己根本未做过的事而受申斥。

He was told off for being careless.

他因粗心大意挨说了。

tell sb ⇔ off

We were told off for special duty.

我们被派去执行特殊任务。

They were told off to clean the latrines.

他们被逐一派去扫厕所。

tell on〔upon〕 (v.+prep.)

产生(坏的)影响 have a bad effect on

tell to sb's face

当面讲 not speak of it behind sb's back
tell sth to sb's face

An upright man ought to tell a man of a fault to his face instead of speaking of it behind his back.

一个正直的人应该当面讲出别人的缺点,而不应在背后议论。

there is no telling

很难说 it is impossible to know

you never can tell

很难说 it is impossible to know

～+名词

• tell%20a%20falsehood%E3%80%94lie%E3%80%95">tell a falsehood〔lie〕说谎
• tell%20a%20story">tell a story讲故事
• tell%20one%27s%20beads">tell one's beads边数念珠边祈祷
• tell%20one%27s%20experiences">tell one's experiences诉说自己的经历
• tell%20sb%27s%20fate%E3%80%94fortune%2Cfuture%E3%80%95">tell sb's fate〔fortune,future〕给某人算命
• tell%20the%20difference">tell the difference分辨差别
• tell%20the%20soldiers">tell the soldiers命令士兵们
• tell%20the%20stars">tell the stars数星星
• tell%20the%20time">tell the time报时
• tell%20the%20truth">tell the truth说实话
• tell%20twins">tell twins区分双胞胎

～+副词

• tell%20amply">tell amply充分说明
• tell%20artfully">tell artfully机智地说
• tell%20badly">tell badly讲得很拙劣
• tell%20bluntly">tell bluntly直言不讳地告诉
• tell%20candidly">tell candidly讲话公正
• tell%20complacently">tell complacently自鸣得意地讲
• tell%20conclusively">tell conclusively最后决定
• tell%20dispassionately">tell dispassionately心平气和地讲述
• tell%20effectively">tell effectively有效地影响
• tell%20exactly">tell exactly确切地说出
• tell%20fearlessly">tell fearlessly大胆地说
• tell%20fervently">tell fervently讲话热情
• tell%20flatly">tell flatly直截了当地说
• tell%20frankly">tell frankly直率地告诉
• tell%20genially">tell genially愉快地讲述
• tell%20gravely">tell gravely严重泄密
• tell%20heavily">tell heavily影响很大
• tell%20hysterically">tell hysterically歇斯底里地责骂
• tell%20impressively">tell impressively讲话感人
• tell%20jestingly">tell jestingly说话没趣
• tell%20much">tell much讲得充分
• tell%20musically">tell musically声调和谐
• tell%20plainly">tell plainly明白地告诉
• tell%20regretfully">tell regretfully遗憾地说
• tell%20reverently">tell reverently敬言
• tell%20seriously">tell seriously郑重地告诉
• tell%20simply">tell simply简明地讲述
• tell%20straight">tell straight直率地说
• tell%20vividly">tell vividly讲述生动
• tell%20well">tell well讲得很好
• tell%20apart">tell apart把…区别开
• tell%20off%20number">tell off number报数

～+介词

• tell%20about">tell about谈…的情况
• tell%20about%20the%20game">tell about the game讲述那场比赛
• tell%20about%20the%20incident">tell about the incident讲述那件事
• tell%20from%20a%20quick%20examination">tell from a quick examination迅速查清
• tell%20the%20true%20from%20the%20false">tell the true from the false辨别真伪
• tell%20on%20health">tell on health影响健康

• Barnabas and Paul..tolde what signes and wondres God had shewed.

  出自：Bible (Tyndale): Acts

• He told of bloody fights.

  出自：G. Crabbe

• He was telling another fishing story.

  出自：G. Greene

保守秘密的约定

A：You can’ttell anyone.
你不能告诉任何人。

B：I know. I promise.
我保证。

保守秘密的约定

tell的近义词

A：Don’ttell anyone.
别告诉任何人。

B：A promise is a promise!
说到就得做到。

进修

A：tell me about (it/ your courses/ your plans).
跟我说说（这事/你的课程/你的计划）。

B：Where should I start?
我应该从哪儿开始呢？

v.(动词)

1. tell的基本意思是用语言或文字“告知”“告诉”“讲述”某事,强调思想的表达,而不强调表达的方式。引申可表示“吩咐”“嘱托”“命令”“确定”“区分,辨别”“泄露秘密”“猜测”“产生效果”等。
2. tell可用作不及物动词,也可用作及物动词。用作及物动词时,接名词、代词、带疑问词的动词不定式或wh-从句作宾语。也可接双宾语,其直接宾语可以是名词或代词,也可以是带疑问词的动词不定式或that/wh-从句,其间接宾语可以转化为介词to的宾语。
3. tell作“吩咐”解时,还可接以动词不定式充当补足语的复合宾语。
4. tell可用于被动结构。
5. tell在非正式语体中可以引出直接引语。

v.(动词)

tell, acquaint, advise, inform, notify

这组词的共同意思是“通知”,其区别是：

1.除tell外是一般用词,其余各词均为正式用词。

2.在“通知”的手段上, acquaint主要指向某人提供资料; tell是指将某事直接告诉某人或把某些内容向他人讲述,即口头通知; inform既可指提供有关资料或信息,也可指直接告知某事; notify指正式用书面通知; advise则常用于商业活动,既可指书面通知,即通告,电告,也可指口头告知或电话通知,但不一定是正式的。

3.在通知的内容上, acquaint常用于范围广泛的内容复杂的信息; tell多指一个故事或一件事; inform既可指重要的信息,也可指普通的一件事; advise多指商业活动中对方应知晓的信息; notify则指严肃的事或对方应知晓的事,暗含事情紧迫,需立即答复或处理的意味。

4.在用法上,这组词均为及物动词,可跟简单宾语或“间接宾语+that/wh-从句”, acquaint还可跟with短语,常用于被动结构; advise还可跟of短语; inform还可跟含“带疑问词的动词不定式和含介词as to或about的复合宾语”; notify还常跟of短语和含动词不定式的复合宾语,常用于被动结构。

tell, tell about〔of〕

tell可直接接宾语,如story, news, time, name, answer, difference, reason等名词或代词,意思是“告诉…”; tell about〔of〕的意思是“讲述〔说明〕关于…的事”。

tell of, speak to, talk to

参见speak条。

tell, bid, command, order

这组词都有命令的意思。其区别是：

1.order和bid是及物动词,而command和tell既可作及物动词，又可作不及物动词。

2.order和command一般指上级命令下级; command是权力用语,更强调下命令的人有权威,特别指军官命令士兵; 而order却可以指某个人对他人下命令,如医生嘱咐病人; tell则多用于日常情况,“吩咐”的意味往往大于“命令”。

3.bid态度并不十分强制; command却有“强迫”“命令”“必须服从”的意味; order语气比command弱,不那么正式; tell的语气则更弱。

4.跟动词不定式的复合结构时, bid多不带to,而command和order则须保留to。

5.order还可表示“次序”或“订货”的意思,而command和bid则没有此意。

tell, say, speak, talk

这组词的共同含义是“说,告诉”。其区别是：

say指“说出”,着重指说出具体的内容,一般用作及物动词,后面的宾语是所说的话; speak指“说话,发言”,着重开口说话的动作,一般用作不及物动词,其宾语通常是表示某种语言名称的词; talk指“讲话,谈论”,意思与speak相近,在一些情况下可以通用,通常talk用作不及物动词; tell指“告诉”,是直接给对方讲或以间接的方式转诉某事,在多数情况下, tell的后面通常接双宾语,在少数情况下可用简单宾语。试体会下面这几个词的用法和含义:He had talked for a long time, but he spoke so fast that we couldn't catch what he said.他讲了很长时间,但他说得太快了,我们没听清他讲了些什么。

Mr. Green was invited to speak〔talk〕 to us on Greek philosophy.格林先生应邀给我们讲希腊哲学。

He told me the news.他告诉了我这个消息。

He told me that he was coming.他告诉我说他就来。

say，speak，state，talk，tell，utter

这些动词均有“说、讲”之意。

say最普通常用词，指用语言表达思想，着重所说的内容。

speak侧重于说话动作的本身，着重说话的能力而不在内容，比如能说某种语言。

state较正式用词，通常指用明确的语言或文字着重地叙述事实，既强调内容又注重语气。

talk普通用词，侧重指与人交谈时的连续说话，可指单方面较长谈话，和speak一样，着重说活动作而不侧重内容。

tell指告诉或讲述。

utter着重说话的行为，常指声音的使用，突出用噪子发声。

v.(动词)

他告诉我们他通过了考试。

误 He told that he had passed the exam.

正 He told us that he had passed the exam.

析 tell后不能直接接从句表示“告知某人某事”时,须接双宾语,即tell sb sth。

老师叫我们不要吵闹。

误 The teacher told us don't make any noise.

正 The teacher told us not to make any noise.

析 “告诉某人不要做某事”,英语用“tell sb not to do sth ”,即用不定式作复合宾语。

说实在话,我不太想去看演出。

误 telling the truth,I'm not very interested in going to the show.

正 To tell the truth,I'm not very interested in going to the show.

析 to tell the truth常在句中作插入语,这是一种固定表达方式,不用分词短语。

正如我昨天告诉你的,他在会上站起来说话却不知所云。

误 As I spoke to you yesterday, he got up to speak and said nothing at the meeting.

正 As I told you yesterday, he got up to speak and said nothing at the meeting.

析 说出具体的内容要用动词tell,而speak只表示说话的动作而不涉及内容。

不要说谎话!

误 Don't say lies!

正 Don't tell lies!

析 say与tell相比较,只有tell才能和有祈使语气的话连用。

她说：“我要走了。”

误 She told,“I am leaving.”

正 She said,“I am leaving.”

析 tell后面一般要加说话的对象(人称代词),然后再加说话的内容; 而say可以直接加内容。

简和萨长得这么相像,只有她们的母亲才分得清她们。

误 They are so alike that only their mother can tell Jane and Sar.

正 They are so alike that only their mother can tell Jane and Sar apart.

正 They are so alike that only their mother can tell Jane from Sar.

析 “把…分得清楚,把…辨别开”英文用tell...from...或tell...and... apart表示。

每个学生都能讲述他在考试前的紧张心情。

误 Every student can tell his nervousness before the examinations.

正 Every student can tell of his nervousness before the examinations.

析 tell 作为“告诉,讲述”讲,用在能讲完整的事物前,如story, news, truth, lie, opinion, views等时是及物动词; 用在不能讲清楚或讲完整的事物前,是不及物动词,后面要跟of或about。

他告诉了我有关这所名牌大学的一些消息。

误 He told me some information about this prestigious university.

正 He gave me some information about this prestigious university.

析 可以说give sb information, supply〔provide〕 sb with information,但不能说tell sb information。

她查看约翰的手掌,给他算命。

误 She inspected John's palm and said his fortune.

正 She inspected John's palm and told his fortune.

析 表示“(给某人)算命”,要说 tell sb's fortune,不可以说 say sb's fortune。

• ☆ 直接源自古英语的tellan，意为考虑。