[Grammar] Said and told difference

[vishalinit]

Hi,

Please tell me when to ues say(said) and tell (told).

Please aslo suggest which of the following sentences are correct...

1) No one has told me that I am giving good service, but I think I am giving good customer service
OR
No one has said that I am giving good service, but I think I am giving good customer service

2) He told me that he will reach here in 5 miutes
OR
He said that he will reach here in 5 miutes

3) Please say me the customer ID number
OR
Please tell me the customer ID number

Is ther any other way to express these sentences?

Thanks

 

[Soup]

Hi,

Please tell me when to ues say(said) and tell (told).

Say <utter words>; Tell <give information>:

Tell me your name = Give me information.
Say your name = Utter words.



3a) Please say me... :cross:

• Please say (the word), "Me".
  • OK, I'll utter the word, "Me". "Me"!

3b) Please tell me... :tick:

• Please tell me the information.

 

[5jj]

1a. No one has told me that I am giving good service, but I think I am giving good customer service. :tick:
1b. No one has said that I am giving good service, but I think I am giving good customer service. :tick:

2a. He told me that he will reach here in 5 minutes.:tick:
2b. He said that he will reach here in 5 minutes. :tick:

3a. Please say me the customer ID number. X
3b. Please tell me the customer ID number.:tick:

Sometimes there is not any real difference in meaning, but with 'tell' we must say who is told (the words I have put in bold), and we do not use 'to'. With 'say' there is no need to say who is told; if we do, we must use 'to', as in the 'c' examples below:

1c. No one has said to me that I am giving good service, but I think I am giving good customer service.
2c. He said to me that he will reach here in 5 minutes.

#3a could be phrased as #3c i or ii, below, though this unlikely:

3c.i. Please say [STRIKE]me[/STRIKE] the customer ID number.
3c.ii. Please say [STRIKE]me[/STRIKE] the customer ID number to me.

We would be more likely to phrase this either as #3b, or as:

3d. Please read out the customer ID number to me.

 

[engee30]

I'd like to add that when tell is directly followed by the direct object, you put to before the indirect object, which is obligatory, eg:
I told the news to my parents. = I told my parents the news.

 

[nyota]

***I'm not a teacher***


In addition to what's already been said, here are some expressions used with say and tell:


SAY
~hello, ~good morning, ~something/nothing, ~so (A: Why do I have to do it? B: Because I said so.), ~a prayer,~ a few words, ~no more, ~for certain/sure


TELL
~the thruth, ~a lie, ~a story, ~a secret,~ a joke, ~the time, ~the difference, ~one from another, ~somebody the way, ~somebody so (I told you so!), ~somebody's fortune