Tell, Say, Speak & Talk

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Understanding Similar Verbs in English

These four verbs often confuse learners because they are all related to communication. However, they are not interchangeable. This lesson will help you understand the differences clearly and use each verb with confidence.

1️⃣ TELL

Meaning: to give information to someone

Structure

Tell + person + (what was said)
⚠️ NO “to” before the person

Examples

  • I told Marcos the truth.
  • She told me about the trip.
  • He told her to check it out.

❌ I told to Marcos.

👉 Tell already includes the idea of “to someone”.

2️⃣ SAY

Meaning: to express words / focus on the message

Structure

  • Say + something
  • Say + something + TO + someone

Examples

  • She said hello.
  • He said hello to Marcos.
  • I said I was tired.

❌ I said Marcos.

👉 If you mention the person, you need to.

3️⃣ TALK

Meaning: to have a conversation (interaction)

Structure

Talk + TO + someone

Examples

  • I talked to Marcos yesterday.
  • We talked about work.

❌ I talked Marcos.

👉 Talk focuses on interaction, not the message itself.

4️⃣ SPEAK

Meaning: to talk in a more formal way

Commonly used for:

  • Languages
  • Formal situations

Structure

  • Speak + a language
  • Speak + TO + someone

Examples

  • I speak English.
  • She spoke to the manager.

Quick Comparison

VerbStructure
Telltell someone (NO to)
Saysay something (to someone)
Talktalk to someone
Speakspeak to someone / a language

Exercises

Exercise 1 — Choose the correct verb

Complete the sentences with tell, say, talk, or speak.

  1. I need to ______ you something important.
  2. She didn’t ______ anything to me.
  3. We talked and ______ about our plans.
  4. He ______ to his boss this morning.
  5. Can you ______ English?

Exercise 2 — Correct the sentences

Find and correct the mistake.

  1. I told to her the truth.
  2. He said me the answer.
  3. She talked her yesterday.
  4. I speak to English at work.

Exercise 3 — Make the sentences correct

  1. I told ______ to check it out.
  2. She said it ______ Marcos.
  3. They talked ______ their trip.
  4. He speaks ______ Spanish and French.

🗝️ Answer Key

Exercise 1

  1. tell
  2. say
  3. talked
  4. spoke
  5. speak

Exercise 2

  1. I told her the truth.
  2. He told me the answer / He said the answer to me.
  3. She talked to her yesterday.
  4. I speak English at work.

Exercise 3

  1. you / him / her / them
  2. to
  3. about
  4. — (no preposition)

More Practice

Exercise 4 — Choose the best option

Choose the correct verb.

  1. She didn’t ______ a word during the meeting.
  2. I need to ______ to you about something important.
  3. He ______ me he would be late.
  4. Can you ______ a little louder, please?
  5. They were ______ about their vacation.

Exercise 5 — Tell or Say?

Choose tell or say and make the sentence correct.

  1. She ______ me the truth.
  2. He ______ it to his parents.
  3. Don’t ______ anyone about this.
  4. What did she ______?

Exercise 6 — Rewrite using the verb in brackets

Rewrite the sentence using the verb in parentheses.

  1. I said to her, “Don’t worry.” (tell)
  2. He spoke to the teacher yesterday. (talk)
  3. She said hello to me. (tell)
  4. They talked to the manager. (speak)

Exercise 7 — Real-life use

Complete the sentences so they sound natural.

  1. I need to ______ my kids to slow down.
  2. She didn’t ______ goodbye.
  3. We need to ______ to the doctor.
  4. He ______ three languages.

🗝️ Answer Key

Exercise 4

  1. say
  2. talk
  3. told
  4. speak
  5. talking

Exercise 5

  1. told
  2. said
  3. tell
  4. say

Exercise 6

  1. I told her not to worry.
  2. He talked to the teacher yesterday.
  3. She told me hello.
  4. They spoke to the manager.

Exercise 7

  1. tell
  2. say
  3. talk / speak
  4. speaks

Teacher’s Note — SAY vs TELL (Important)

Although the structure say + something + to someone is correct, the type of something matters.

✔ SAY sounds natural with:

  • short words or expressions (hello, sorry, goodbye)
  • direct speech (words in quotes)

Examples:

  • I said hello to my mom.
  • I said, “Relax,” to my mom.

⚠️ With long ideas or instructions, SAY + that + clause + to someone is grammatically possible, but not natural for beginners or everyday speech.

❌ I said that we should relax to my mom. (heavy / unnatural)

👉 In these cases, TELL is preferred:

  • I told my mom to relax.
  • I told her that we should relax.

📌 Teaching tip: use SAY for words and TELL for ideas.

👉 Extra Practice

Exercise 1 – Choose SAY or TELL

Complete with say or tell (use the correct tense):

  1. She ______ she was tired.
  2. He ______ me the truth.
  3. What did you ______ to your teacher?
  4. I ______ my mom I would be late.
  5. They ______ “Stop!” very loudly.
  6. Can you ______ me your name again?

Exercise 2 – Fix the sentence (common mistakes)

Corrija as frases:

  1. ❌ I said my friend the news.
  2. ❌ She told “hello” to me.
  3. ❌ He said to me that he was busy.
  4. ❌ I said that to my mom.

Exercise 3 – Complete with say (focus only on say)

Complete the sentences using say / said:

  1. Please ______ something.
  2. She ______ “thank you” and left.
  3. What did he ______ about the test?
  4. Don’t ______ that again.
  5. I never ______ that!

🗝️ Answer Key

Exercise 1

  1. said
  2. told
  3. say
  4. told
  5. said
  6. tell

Exercise 2

  1. I told my friend the news.
  2. She said “hello” to me.
  3. He told me that he was busy.
  4. I said that. / I told my mom that.

Exercise 3

  1. say
  2. said
  3. say
  4. say
  5. said

✨ Tip for learners: If you’re unsure, ask yourself:

  • Am I focusing on the person? → tell
  • On the words? → say
  • On interaction? → talk
  • On formality or language? → speak

VERB TENSES

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12 Verb Tenses in English Explained - Grammar

1. Verb to be (am / is / are – was / were)

Use: to describe people, things, places, time, emotions.

Examples:

  • I’m tired today.
  • She was at the gym yesterday.
  • They are friends.

✏️ Exercises:

  1. Complete with am, is, are, was or were:
    a) I ___ at home right now.
    b) She ___ a teacher.
    c) We ___ in Paris last summer.
    d) You ___ very kind!
    e) It ___ rainy yesterday.
  2. Make the sentences negative:
    a) He is my brother. →
    b) They were late. →
    c) I’m happy. →
  3. Make questions:
    a) She is from Brazil. →
    b) You were at the party. →

2. Simple Present

Use: habits, routines, general truths.
Structure: subject + base verb (+s/es in 3rd person)

Examples:

  • I study English every day.
  • She goes to the gym on Mondays.
  • The sun rises in the east.

✏️ Exercises:

  1. Complete:
    a) He ___ (play) soccer every weekend.
    b) I ___ (not like) coffee.
    c) ___ you ___ (work) on Saturdays?
  2. Write/say 3 sentences about your daily routine.
  3. Correct the mistakes:
    a) She go to school by bus.
    b) Do he like pizza?
    c) They doesn’t live here.

3. Simple Past

Use: finished actions in the past.
Structure: subject + past form of verb (regular: +ed / irregular: 2nd column)

Examples:

  • I visited my grandparents yesterday.
  • They went to the beach last weekend.

✏️ Exercises:

  1. Complete:
    a) We ___ (watch) a movie last night.
    b) She ___ (go) to bed late.
    c) I ___ (not see) him yesterday.
    d) ___ you ___ (study) for the test?
  2. Transform to negative:
    a) He worked on Sunday. →
    b) They met their friends. →
  3. Write 3 sentences about what you did last weekend.

4. Present Perfect

Use: experiences, recent events, unfinished time.
Structure: have/has + past participle

Examples:

  • I have been to London.
  • She has finished her homework.
  • We haven’t seen that movie yet.

✏️ Exercises:

  1. Complete:
    a) I ___ (never / eat) sushi.
    b) She ___ (just / call) you.
    c) They ___ (not / visit) New York.
    d) ___ you ever ___ (try) surfing?
  2. Rewrite in present perfect:
    a) I saw this movie. →
    b) She finished her project. →

5. Present Continuous

Use: actions happening now or around now.
Structure: am/is/are + verb + ing

Examples:

  • I’m studying English.
  • She is cooking dinner.
  • They are not working today.

✏️ Exercises:

  1. Complete:
    a) I ___ (read) a book now.
    b) She ___ (not / sleep).
    c) ___ they ___ (watch) TV?
  2. Choose the correct option:
    a) Listen! The birds (sing / are singing).
    b) We (study / are studying) for the test now.
  3. Write 3 sentences about what people in your family are doing right now.

6. Going to – future plans and intentions

Use: plans already decided or clear intentions.
Structure: am/is/are + going to + verb

Examples:

  • I’m going to travel next month.
  • They’re going to buy a new car.

✏️ Exercises:

  1. Complete:
    a) We ___ (visit) Grandma tomorrow.
    b) She ___ (not / study) tonight.
    c) ___ you ___ (take) the test again?
  2. Write 3 sentences about what you’re going to do this weekend.

7. Will – predictions, promises, spontaneous decisions

Use:

  • Predictions: It will rain tomorrow.
  • Promises: I’ll help you.
  • Instant decisions: I’ll call her now!

✏️ Exercises:

  1. Complete:
    a) I think it ___ (rain) tonight.
    b) Don’t worry, I ___ (help) you.
    c) She ___ (not / be) late.
  2. Make sentences using “will” for:
    a) a promise
    b) a prediction
    c) a quick decision

✏️ 8. Mixed Practice

Complete with the correct tense of the verb in parentheses:

  1. I ___ (be) very tired yesterday.
  2. She ___ (study) English every day.
  3. They ___ (just / arrive).
  4. We ___ (go) to the park tomorrow.
  5. Look! It ___ (rain)!
  6. I ___ (not see) him since last year.
  7. He ___ (be) a teacher for 10 years.
  8. Don’t worry — I ___ (help) you with your homework.
  9. She ___ (watch) TV now.
  10. ___ you ___ (ever / travel) abroad?

🗣️ 9. Personal Practice (Speaking or Writing)

Answer in complete sentences:

  1. Where are you from?
  2. What do you usually do on Sundays?
  3. What did you do yesterday?
  4. Have you ever eaten something exotic?
  5. What are you doing right now?
  6. What are you going to do next weekend?
  7. What will you do if it rains tomorrow?

🌀 Mixed Practice – Level up!

A. Complete the sentences with the correct verb form.

  1. I ______ (be) tired yesterday, but I ______ (feel) great today.
  2. She ______ (not / see) that movie yet.
  3. Look! It ______ (snow)!
  4. We ______ (go) to the beach every summer.
  5. They ______ (not / be) at school last Friday.
  6. I think it ______ (rain) tonight.
  7. He ______ (study) English for three years.
  8. We ______ (go) to travel to Canada next year.
  9. I ______ (not / have) breakfast this morning.
  10. Where ______ you (be) at 9 a.m.?

B. Rewrite the sentences as requested.

  1. She goes to work by bus. (make negative) →
  2. They watched a movie last night. (make a question) →
  3. I’ve been to Italy. (make negative) →
  4. He’s cooking dinner. (change to simple present) →
  5. I’m going to call my friend. (change to will) →

C. Choose the correct answer.

  1. I ____ my keys. Can you help me find them?
    a) lost b) have lost c) lose
  2. She ____ TV when the phone rang.
    a) watches b) was watching c) has watched
  3. We ____ in this city since 2010.
    a) live b) lived c) have lived
  4. Don’t worry! I ____ you with that.
    a) help b) am helping c) will help
  5. What ____ you ____ tonight?
    a) do / do b) are / doing c) did / do

D. Fill in with your own ideas (personal answers).

  1. I’m really happy because I’m ______.
  2. Yesterday I ______.
  3. I have never ______.
  4. Next weekend I’m going to ______.
  5. I think I will ______ in the future.

E. Translate into English.

  1. Eu estava cansado, mas feliz.
  2. Ela nunca visitou Nova York.
  3. Está chovendo muito agora.
  4. Eles vão comprar um carro novo.
  5. Acho que vou dormir cedo hoje.

F. Challenge: Combine the tenses!

Write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences) that includes at least four different tenses.
Example:

I’m studying English because I’ve always loved languages. I started when I was ten. My teacher is amazing! Next year, I’m going to take an exam, and I’m sure I’ll pass it.

Greetings and Goodbyes in English

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🗣️ Greeting People

We usually greet people with “hi” or “hello.”
👉 “Hi” is a bit more casual.

Examples:

  • Hello!
  • Hi!
  • Hey!

It’s common to say “hey” in informal situations.
Be aware that “hey” can also be used to get someone’s attention, like:

Hey, look at this!

😊 Asking How Someone Is

Common ways to ask how someone is doing:

  • How are you?
  • How are you doing?
  • How’s it going?
  • How have you been?

All these questions have similar meanings.

👍 Common Replies

  • I’m fine, thanks.
  • I’m good, thanks.
  • I’m great, thanks!
  • Pretty good!
  • Not bad, thanks.

👉 Many people say “not bad” to mean “quite good.”

👋 Informal Greetings Among Friends

If you’re greeting a friend or someone you know well, you can say:

  • Hey, what’s up?
  • What’s new?
  • What’s happening?
  • What’s going on?

Typical short replies:

  • Nothing.
  • Not much.
  • Nothing much.

💡 In English-speaking cultures, people usually don’t share a lot of personal information during a short, informal, or accidental meeting.

🎧 Listening Practice

Listen carefully to the two videos below.
Take notes of useful phrases and sentences, and pay special attention to pronunciation.

🌞 Other Everyday Greetings

  • How’s everything?
  • Long time no see. Hey, long time no see!
  • How’s your day?
  • Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening

👉 To make “Good morning” less formal, just say “Morning.”

If you’re leaving or going to sleep, you can also say “Good night.”

🚪 Saying Goodbye

  • Bye! → (short for “Goodbye”)
  • See ya / See you soon / Hope to see you soon Used when you plan to meet the person again soon.
  • Take it easy / Take care / Take care of yourself. These phrases are informal, polite, and friendly ways to say goodbye, wishing the other person well.

Health problems

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🧠 Vocabulary Review

Common health problems:

  • a cold
  • a fever
  • a headache
  • a stomachache
  • a sore throat
  • the flu
  • allergies
  • a cough

👂 Asking About Someone’s Health

Here are the most common ways to ask how someone feels:

  • How do you feel (today)?
    → Como você está se sentindo (hoje)?
  • How are you feeling?
    → Como você está se sentindo?
  • Is everything okay?
    → Está tudo bem?

🗣️ Typical Responses

When someone asks how you’re feeling, you can respond:

  • I’m fine.
    → Estou bem.
  • I feel sick.
    → Estou me sentindo mal.
  • Not so good.
    → Não muito bem.
  • Not very well.
    → Não estou muito bem.
  • I don’t feel well.
    → Não estou me sentindo bem.
  • I’m sick.
    → Estou doente.

🔍 Asking for More Details

When you see (or hear) someone isn’t feeling well, you can ask:

  • What’s the matter?
    → O que houve?
  • What’s wrong?
    → O que aconteceu?

🧾 Describing What’s Wrong

To say what’s wrong with you:

  • I have + [health condition].
    → I have a headache.
    → I have the flu.
  • I’ve got + [health condition]. (more common in British English)
    → I’ve got a sore throat.
    → I’ve got a runny nose.

(Both forms are correct and mean the same thing.)

✅ Practice Activity

1. Fill in the Blanks

Complete the responses.

a) How are you feeling?
→ __________________________ (not good)

b) What’s the matter?
→ __________________________ (headache)

c) Is everything okay?
→ __________________________ (not well, sore throat)

2. Role Play

Create a short dialogue:

A: Hi! You don’t look so good. What’s wrong?
B: __________________________
A: I’m sorry. Do you need anything?

Practice using the questions and responses from the lesson.

3. Correct the Mistake

a) I am with fever.
→ ________________________

b) She have a sore throat.
→ ________________________

c) He has got cough.
→ ________________________

4. Dialogue

Discuss the following questions:

  • Do you ever get headaches?
  • How often do you catch a cold?

🏁 Wrap Up

  • Go back to your symptom list from the video.
  • Share one health problem you’ve had before and how you treated it.

The Many Uses of Kind, Sort, and Type

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Kinda sorta

In English, there are two main ways to use these words:

  1. To talk about categories or groups of things.
  2. To express uncertainty or approximation — but only with kind and sort (not type).

Watch the video below to see these expressions in action! It explains when to use kind of, sort of, and type of, and show you how kinda and sorta sound in real-life English. It’s short, clear, and full of examples you can start using right away.

1. KIND OF, SORT OF, TYPE OF — Categories or Groups

We use these expressions to describe types, kinds, or categories of things.
They always come with the preposition of.

Examples:

  1. What type of music do you like?
    (Que tipo de música você gosta?)
  2. What are the different kinds of spices in this cake?
    (Quais são os diferentes tipos de condimentos desse bolo?)
  3. That magazine prints fake news and all sorts of other rubbish.
    (Aquela revista publica notícias falsas e todo tipo de besteira.)

💡 Tip:
In everyday English, kind of and sort of are often used interchangeably, but type of sounds a little more formal.

2. KINDA & SORTA — Expressing Uncertainty or Softening Statements

When spoken quickly, kind of and sort of often become kinda and sorta.
They can mean a little, more or less, or sort of in Portuguese (“um pouco”, “meio”, “mais ou menos”).

Examples:

  1. Mm, I’m kinda cold. Could you please close the window?
    (Estou com um pouquinho de frio. Você poderia fechar a janela?)
  2. Do you like tomatoes? — Mm, sorta.
    (Você gosta de tomates? — Mais ou menos.)

They are also used to soften opinions — when you’re unsure or want to sound polite:

It’s kinda expensive. → (É meio caro.)
She’s sorta shy. → (Ela é meio tímida.)

3. “KINDA-SORTA” — Modern, Playful English

This fun combination — kinda-sorta — is common in casual, spoken English, especially among younger speakers.
It can mean:

  1. A little
  2. A lot (ironically)
  3. Indecision
  4. Laziness or hesitation

Examples:

  1. Who is that actor?
    — Oh, he used to be kinda-sorta famous back in the 90s.
    (Ele costumava ser um pouco famoso nos anos 90.)
  2. How’s my writing paper?
    — Um… it still kinda-sorta needs some work.
    (Ainda precisa de muitas melhoras.)
  3. So, are you guys, like, together?
    — Well, we’re kinda-sorta boyfriend/girlfriend.
    (Bem, somos meio que namorados.)
  4. Do you wanna go out tonight?
    — Mm… kinda-sorta, not really, maybe, but yeah, okay.
    (Mais ou menos, não muito, talvez, mas tá, ok.)

🧠 Practice Time

Exercise 1 — Fill in the blanks

Complete with kind of, sort of, or type of.

  1. What _______ job are you looking for?
  2. It’s _______ cold today, isn’t it?
  3. I don’t really like that _______ music.
  4. I’m _______ tired, but I’ll help you.
  5. What _______ food do they serve there?

Exercise 2 — Choose the correct option

  1. She’s _______ shy.
    a) type of  b) kinda  c) sort
  2. What _______ chocolate do you prefer — dark or milk?
    a) kind of  b) sorta  c) kinda-sorta
  3. He’s _______ funny, but not always.
    a) type  b) kinda  c) of kind
  4. They have all _______ of fruit juices here.
    a) sorts  b) kind  c) sorta

Exercise 3 — Express yourself!

Translate and complete these sentences using kind of, sort of, type of, or kinda-sorta.

  1. Eu estou meio cansado hoje.
    → I’m ______________________ today.
  2. Que tipo de filme você gosta?
    → What ______________________ do you like?
  3. Ele é meio estranho, mas simpático.
    → He’s ______________________ weird but nice.
  4. Ela é meio que minha melhor amiga.
    → She’s ______________________ my best friend.

Answer Key:

Exercise 1: 1. kind of / 2. kinda / 3. kind of / 4. kinda / 5. type of
Exercise 2: 1. b / 2. a / 3. b / 4. a
Exercise 3: (open answers)

💬 Reflection Question

In what situations do you use kind, sort, or type in your daily life?
Share your example in the comments! 👇