Page 523 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

504 1
2
In a comparison, we use the same (. ..J as.
You've got the same idea as me. (NOT ••• my stlme itletl.)
Her hair's the same colour as her mother's. (N OT ••• the stlme et:Ji8ft' /:ike ...) Note the expression the very same (= exactly the same).
Our birthdays are on the very same day.
other structures
Before a clause, the same. .. that or the same . . . who can be used. That's the same man that/who asked me for money yesterday.
As is also possible before a clause, especially with a noun that is the object of the following verb.
He's wearing the same shirt that/as he had on yesterday.
As! who! that can be left out when they refer to the object of the following verb.
He's wearing the same shirt he had on yesterday. Note also the expression do the same.
Why do you always try to do the same as your brother?
Joe and Carol went on a camping holiday, and we're going to do the same.
say and tell meaning and use
Both say and tell are used with direct and indirect speech. (Say is more common than tell with direct speech.)
'Tum right,' I said. (OR 'Tum right,' Itold him.)
She said that it was my last chance. (OR She told me that it was my last
chance.)
Tell is only used to mean 'instruct' or 'inform'. So we do not use tell with greetings, exclamations or questions, for example.
He said, 'Good morning.' (BUT NOT He wid them, 'C88ti "!8ffling.1
Mary said, 'What a nice idea.' (BUT NOT Mary wid ~, 'Ylhttt a niee idea. 1 'What's your problem?' 1 said. (BUT NOT 1'fhat's 16ft' f't'8blefl!?' I wid her.)
say: objects
Say is most often used without a personal object.
She said that she would be late. (NOT She stlitl me . ..)
If we want to put a personal object after say, we use to. And I say to all the peopk of this great country . ..
tell: objects
After tell, we usually say who is told.
She told me that she would be late. (NOT She wid that . ..)
Tell is used without a personal object in a few expressions. Common examples: tell the truth, tell a lie, tell a story/joke.
1 don't think she's telling the truth. (NOT ••• Stiying the fflith.)
Note also the use of tell to mean 'distinguish', 'understand', as in tell the difference, tell the time.
He's seven years old and he still can't tell the time.
Tell is not used before objects like a word, a name, a sentence, a phrase.
Alice said a naughty word this morning. (NOT Aliee wid ...) ~ page 491
2
3
say and tell 504