tell
- 01 A1 Beginner
v.to give information to someone by speaking or writing.
v.to communicate information, facts, or news to someone. Often used in a ditransitive structure with an indirect object.
Simple“Can you tell me what time the train leaves?”
In context“The witness was asked to tell the court exactly what he had seen on the night of the incident.”
PitfallHe told to me the secret. He told me the secret.Unlike 'say' or 'speak', 'tell' is followed directly by the person you are talking to without the word 'to'.
- 02 A2 Elementary
v.to order or instruct someone to do something.
v.to instruct or command someone to perform an action. Usually followed by an object and a to-infinitive.
Simple“The teacher told the students to sit down and be quiet.”
In context“The doctor told her to avoid heavy lifting until the injury had fully healed.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to be able to see or know the difference between two things.
v.to distinguish or discern between different things or people. Often used with 'can' or 'could'.
Simple“The twins look so similar that I can never tell them apart.”
In context“It was difficult to tell whether the painting was an original or a very high-quality reproduction.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to tell someone a secret that you were supposed to keep.
v.to disclose confidential information or report someone's misconduct. Often used intransitively in informal contexts.
Simple“I promised not to tell, but I think he needs to know the truth.”
In context“The child threatened to tell on his sister after she broke their mother's favorite vase.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
n.a small action or sign that shows what someone is really thinking or feeling.
n.an unconscious action or behavior that reveals a person's true feelings or intentions, especially when they are trying to deceive.
Simple“His nervous tapping on the table was a clear tell that he was lying.”
In context“Professional poker players spend years learning to hide any physical tell that might reveal the strength of their hand.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
n.a hill made of the remains of ancient buildings and towns.
n.an artificial mound formed by the accumulated remains of ancient settlements, common in Middle Eastern archaeology.
Simple“The archaeologists began digging at the base of the ancient tell.”
In context“Excavations at the tell revealed several distinct layers of habitation dating back to the Bronze Age.”
tell vs explain — Explain focuses on the details or reasons behind a topic, while tell focuses on the transfer of information to a specific person.
tell vs say — Tell requires a personal indirect object, while say focuses on the information itself and cannot be followed directly by a person.
Usage tells the story · tell people · tell stories