Take a look at these verbs on the screen.
Say, tell, talk and speak.
All these verbs are related to communicating,
but do they mean the same thing?
People often get confused while using
these verbs and use them interchangeably.
Are you confused too?
Although these verbs may sound similar, they have
different meanings and usage in English sentences.
Today we will learn the difference
between these verbs and avoid some
common mistakes made while speaking English.
Sit back, relax and watch the lesson till the end.
Let's get started.
Let's start with the verb tell.
When you speak directly to a person.
Meaning when you tell someone
something directly, we use tell.
We use tell when we want
to convey specific information to someone.
Tell is used in indirect speech,
also known as reported speech.
Take a look at these sentences I
want to tell you something important.
Meaning you want to give some information to someone.
But if you say he told me
something important in the morning in this
sentence you are quoting someone else's speech.
You are paraphrasing what someone told you.
Told is the past participle of tell.
Here are a few more examples.
RIA told me to meet at the mall at two.
The boss will tell us about
the next project in the meeting.
If I tell you something, we keep it a secret.
If you notice, we have used tell in all three tenses.
I hope now you know when to use tell.
Now let's learn when to use say.
The meanings of these two verbs
tell and say are similar.
The main meaning of say is to use your
voice to express something in words similar to tell.
Say is also used to quote someone
or to say something directly to someone.
For example, I just stopped by to say hello.
He said just three words before she interrupted him.
In the first sentence, you are directly
saying something and in the second sentence
you are mentioning what someone said.
I hope you got it.
Say is also used to express your opinion.
Take a look at these examples.
I wouldn't say he is a great singer, meaning it's your
opinion about the singer, which may be true or false.
He said that you should drink
eight glasses of water every day.
In this sentence, you are expressing
someone else's opinion and quoting them.
While expressing opinions, we generally
use say and not tell.
I hope you got the difference.
Now let's understand how to use speak.
We use the verb speak in more formal situations.
It is used to say something
generally unlike tell and say.
We don't use speak to give any information.
It is mostly used when referring to giving
a speech or speaking to a large crowd.
For example, he will speak about
the latest developments in the meeting.
The finance minister will speak about
the new income tax slabs.
In both these sentences, you are not specific.
You are referring to what someone will do.
Generally, speak is also used
when referring to languages.
It is used to mention how proficient
someone is in a spoken language.
Here are some examples.
Sam speaks English and Hindi both pretty well.
He spoke at the meeting but sounded less confident.
He is learning to speak English
through an online English course.
All these sentences are referring
to someone's spoken language.
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Finally, let's understand how to use talk.
The verb talk has the same meaning as speak.
But speak is used in a formal
situation, whereas talk is used in replacement
of speak when speaking informally.
In short, they can be used
interchangeably depending upon the situation.
If it is formal or informal, you can be
more specific by adding a word about after talk.
Take a look at these examples.
We talked about the startup idea yesterday for hours.
Can we replace talk with speak?
Yes, you can.
We spoke about the startup idea yesterday for hours.
I want to talk to you about your performance at work.
She talked for almost an hour
and provided all the necessary details.
Can I talk to you for a moment if you are not too busy?
I hope you understood the
difference between speak and talk.
They have similar meanings.
But talk is used when speaking informally.
So that's the difference between all these
verbs that are related to communication.
But all these are basic English words.
If you want to expand your vocabulary and sound more
fluent in English, let's learn few synonyms that you could
use in replacement of these basic English verbs.
Take a look at these sentences.
Let's discuss what happened today in the meeting.
I want to chat with you about your business plan.
He wants to comment on the
new manager's style of performing.
Ryan wants to mention his point of view.
I want to voice my thoughts.
The report stated there's going to be a recession soon.
Did you notice we have used better words
instead of speak, say, talk and tell.
These are better English words and
help you sound fluent in English.
I have a quiz for you.
If you have to replace all these advanced words
with the verbs we learnt today, in which sentences
will you use speak, say, talk and tell?
Let me know in the comments.
That's all for today.
Understanding the differences between the verbs
speak, say, talk and tell is
crucial for improving your spoken English.
By using them correctly, you'll be able
to express yourself with confidence and clarity.
Remember to practice and apply what you've learned
in this lesson and don't hesitate to refer
back to it if you need a refresher.
The synonyms I've covered will also help you expand
your vocabulary and add variety to your speech.
Keep practicing and stay motivated, and you'll
be speaking better English in no time.
And don't forget to give this video a thumbs up
and subscribe to our channel for more English lessons.
Thank you.