What’s the difference between say, tell, ask, speak, and talk? Do you know when to use each of these verbs in English, and how to use each one correctly? These five common English verbs can be really confusing for learners! Today, we’ll look at how to use each word correctly, with simple explanations, natural examples, and common mistakes to avoid. Perfect for English learners who want to sound more natural and confident in English. Don’t forget to take the quiz after watching to practice what you have learned. https://www.engvid.com/5-confusing-english-verbs-say-tell-ask-speak-talk/

Next, check out these lessons:
https://youtu.be/-nIEc4hxqzk
https://youtu.be/ZtQv-T492mg

In this lesson:
0:00 English Verbs: Say, Tell, Speak, Talk, Ask
0:43 "Say" & "Said": When and how to use them
3:01 "Say" & "Said": Common Mistakes
4:57 "Tell": When and how to use it
7:30 "Tell": Common Mistakes
9:57 "Speak": When and how to use it
12:22 "Speak": Common Mistakes
13:55 "Ask": When and how to use it
15:36 "Ask": Common Mistakes
16:17 "Talk": When and how to use it
18:35 "Talk": Common Mistakes
20:12 SUMMARY: Say, Speak, Talk, Ask, Tell

TRANSCRIPT:
In todays video, we are going to look at some words that are so confusing. Were going to look at the words "say", "tell", "talk", "speak", and "ask". So, all of these words mean to use words. Okay? So, right now I am talking. But there are differences in the grammar of how we use these words, and also there are some differences in their meanings or when we use each of these words. So, if youre someone who confuses these words, thats okay. Today I will help you with this. So, lets get started.

The first word we will look at today is "say". "Say" is important. Many students make mistakes with the word "say" and the grammar of "say". We will look at some mistakes in a moment, but first, lets look at the definition. So, "say" we use when were describing words. Ive written this here. No person is needed for this. What I mean is for "tell", you need a person. I tell him something. For "say", you do not need a person. I will explain this in a moment, but the focus for "say" is on the words. What words did he or she say?

So, lets look at some examples. So, here is a woman. She says, "Good morning." These are her words. "Good morning." So, we can say, "She says good morning." So, notice we dont have a person here, we just have the words. What were her words? Her words were "Good morning." This is the focus. "Hello." I say, "Hello." When I finish my videos, I say, "Take care." So, those are the words I use. So, we use "say" in this example. Sometimes, in a conversation, you might want to know what the words of someone were. You can say, "What did he say? What did she say? What did you say?" It means what words were used. And this is very important. The past tense of "say" is "said". She says, "Good morning." Yesterday, she said, "Good morning." We use "said" when we talk about the words in the past, and we use "say" when were talking about the words now.

So, this is probably the number one mistake I see with the word "say" or "said". I said him something. I said him the answer. I said him "Hi." I said her "Goodbye." So, why is this wrong? Its this - this is the problem. With "said", you dont need a person. I said the answer, okay? So, we can use a person with the word "tell" or "told" if youre talking in the past tense. I told him the answer. So, this is a common mistake, a common way people confuse these words. If youre using a person, use "tell", but if theres - youre focusing on the words, you can use "said". Lets look at another example. I said him a question. So, whats wrong with here? Its the same problem as up here. Its this word - him, her, Bob, Mary. There should not be a person here. And the other issue with this is the word "question". So, usually when were talking about questions, we use the word "ask". I asked a question. I asked where the bathroom is. So, for questions, we often use the word "ask". So, just remember, and well look at each of - well look at "tell" and "ask" in a moment, but just remember for "say" or "said", its really about the words. Thats what the focus is on. What words did we use?

Our next word is "tell". So, "say" and "tell" are the words I think learners of English confuse the most. They confuse the grammar and the meaning. So, "tell" means that youre telling a person or people some information. You need both of these things in your sentence if you use "tell". You need the person and you need the information. So, the focus is on who. Who are you giving the information to? So, if you think about it, we tell someone something. Lets look at some examples. […]