Refined English

Say and tell are both used to denote what was communicated by someone. SAY When you say something, you don't necessarily need a listener. It is used to quote the speaker and focuses on the words that were used by the speaker. You say something to someone. Say+what was said Examples: She said that she will not be travelling for a month. She said, 'I will not be travelling for a month.' His father said me there is a lake in the village. ❌ They said that it is very far. He never says me the truth. ❌ TELL When you tell something, you need someone to listen to it. Used to report, instruct or inform what was said by the speaker. Focuses on the message intended to be sent by the speaker. Tell+noun/pronoun (direct object) Examples: She told us she will not be travelling for a month. She told,   'I will not be travelling for a month.' ❌ His father told me there is a lake in the village. They told that it is very far.❌ He never tells me the truth. Exception:   You tell ...

Both 'speak' and 'talk' are verbs that express the action of communication. While we use them both interchangeably, there are a few differences which when understood can help you use these words more appropriately. You speak when you have to say something, you talk when you have to tell someone something. SPEAK Speaking focuses on the speaker. 'Speak,' an irregular verb, is used only as a verb. It is generally used for providing information in a one-way communication like a speech. It is used in more formal situations, denotes more politeness and adds a sense of importance. You speak a language. Eg: The principal would like to speak with the parents about the precautions taken by the school. The manager spoke to him about the dip in his performance. TALK Talk involves one or more listeners and therefore, is more personal. 'Talk,' a regular verb is used as a verb or a noun. Talking is a two-way process and refers to conversations. It is used in more infor...

There are three ways in which words ending in -age are pronounced in English. And often times mispronounced with the pronunciations interchanged.   Sound 1: /eɪdʒ/: Here, the syllable '-age' is stressed and rhymes with the word 'age'  Eg: page, stage, engage, cage, rage, wage, sage Sound 2: /ɑːʒ/: The French pronunciation takes over when a word may have a French origin. The /j/ sound is produced by raising the center of you tongue against the center of your palate but not really touching it causing an  '-aa-j' effect.     Eg: garage, vintage, sabotage, mirage, collage, camouflage, massage  Sound 3: /ɪdʒ/: The syllable '-age' is not stressed in these words, rather, the stress is on the syllables before it. The sound is a simple '-ij' where the middle and front of your tongue touches the roof of your palate. Eg: language, usage, vintage, manage, village, luggage, advantage, courage, average, message, garbage, marriage