Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

Login

Students
Teachers
Exercises
- Reading Exercises
Games
Placement Test
Harry’s Tools

Youtube Exercise

B1-B2

Difference between SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK Super Useful English Grammar

Difference between SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK Super Useful English Grammar

English Speaking 360

210K views 3 years ago

Warm-up Questions

In your language, do you have different verbs for “say”, “tell”, “speak”, and “talk”, or just one word?
Which pair is more confusing for you: SAY vs TELL or SPEAK vs TALK? Why?
When do you usually need to be formal in English (at work, at school, in public)?

Up Next

Notting Hill | The Beginning of a Great Romance (Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts) Universal Pictures
LESSON 1: The Sound of Indian English (Accent & Rhythm English Everyday
How does the stock market work? – Oliver Elfenbaum TED-Ed
Kids Share Their Cultural Tradition | Show & Tell | Hiho Kids HiHo Kids
Revolutionise Healthcare and Small Business Efficiency with AI: Abridge co-founder Zachary Lipton Nebius

Start With: Word Definition

Order: Alphabetical Random

…

Difference between SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK Super Useful English Grammar

SAY vs TELL (listener vs no listener) (00:00 – 03:27)

Transcript will load here…

1. Which statement about the listener is correct according to the video?

With “tell”, a listener is optional.
With “tell”, a listener is required.
With “say”, a listener is always required.

2. What is the basic structure the speaker gives for “say”?

say to something
say someone something
say something

3. Which sentence is marked as WRONG in the video?

Judy told to me she was tired.
Judy told me she was tired.
Judy said to me she was tired.

Difference between SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK Super Useful English Grammar

SPEAK vs TALK (formal vs casual; details vs no details) (03:27 – 06:53)

Transcript will load here…

1. One common use of “speak” is: speak + ____.

a language
a story
a secret

2. How does the speaker describe the difference between “speak” and “talk”?

Speak is only for writing; talk is only for speaking.
Speak is more formal; talk is more informal.
Speak always needs a listener; talk never needs a listener.

3. In the summary, which verbs are said to include details (the actual words)?

say and tell
say and speak
speak and talk

Difference between SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK Super Useful English Grammar

Quiz + collocations (exceptions and fixed combinations) (06:53 – 12:09)

Transcript will load here…

1. In the quiz sentence “Learning how to ____ Japanese was very hard for me”, what is the correct verb?

talk
speak
tell

2. Why is “Kim said to Luke that she took the money” correct (not “told”) according to the explanation?

Because “speak” is more formal than “talk”.
Because there is “to + listener”, which fits with “said to”.
Because “tell” cannot be used in the past tense.

3. Which collocation is listed under SPEAK?

tell a joke
talk business
speak up

Difference between SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK Super Useful English Grammar

Transcript will load here…

1. Which rule best matches the video’s main idea for SAY vs TELL?

Say = needs a listener; tell = does not need a listener
Say = listener optional; tell = listener required (usually)
Say and tell have completely different meanings

2. What is the main contrast between SAY/TELL and SPEAK/TALK in the video summary?

SAY/TELL are only formal; SPEAK/TALK are only informal
SAY/TELL give details (the words); SPEAK/TALK are general (no details)
SAY/TELL are only for questions; SPEAK/TALK are only for negatives

3. What is the key message about collocations at the end of the video?

Collocations are only used in very formal English.
Collocations always follow the grammar rules perfectly.
Collocations are fixed word combinations, and some are exceptions to the rules.

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Difference between SAY / TELL / SPEAK / TALK Super Useful English Grammar

Give one example sentence for each verb (say, tell, speak, talk) from your real life (work/school/friends).
Do you think “speak” sounds more formal than “talk” in your language too? Explain with an example.
Which collocations from the video are new for you (e.g., “tell the truth”, “speak up”, “talk business”)? Make one sentence for two of them.
What mistakes do you often make with “say” and “tell”? How will you remember the correct structure?

About

About Harry

Information

Privacy policy
Terms of service

Support

Support Ticket

Contact Us

harry@english-grammar-homework.com

English Classes WordPress Theme By WP Radiant | Proudly powered by WordPress

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn