verb
1
BAD : The policeman said me to go with him to the police station.
GOOD : The policeman told me to go with him to the police station.
BAD : She said to me to ask you to phone her.
GOOD : She told me to ask you to phone her.
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tell sb to do sth (NOT say ): 'I told them to wait for you outside.'
2
BAD : When he arrived, they said him that his friend had died.
GOOD : When he arrived, they told him that his friend had died.
GOOD : When he arrived, they said that his friend had died.
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say that : 'She said that she might be late.'
tell sb that : 'She told me that she might be late.'
3
BAD : He was tired of people saying him what to do.
GOOD : He was tired of people telling him what to do.
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say sth : 'I forgot to say goodbye.'
tell sb sth : 'Eventually he told me the truth.'
4
BAD : In our next class we're going to say about pollution.
GOOD : In our next class we're going to talk about pollution.
BAD : The magazine also says about English football.
GOOD : The magazine also talks about English football.
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talk about a particular topic (NOT say about ): 'He refuses to talk about politics.' 'She's always talking about her father's health.'
5
See JOKE (↑ joke ), LIE (↑ lie )