tell
Base form
tell
/tel/
Past simple
told
/təʊld/
Past participle
told
/təʊld/
MeaningA1
to give information to someone
to tell the time
In use
- Imperative · Form 1Please tell me if you need any help with the move.
- Question · Form 1Did you tell Tom about the party?
- Past simple · Form 2Tom told us the news at dinner on Saturday.
- Past simple · Form 2Yesterday my brother told me a really funny story.
- Past perfect · Form 3Nobody had told Maria that the meeting was cancelled.
- Passive · Form 3We were told to wait in the hall.
Watch out
Told in both forms, never telled. You tell a person, you say a thing.
Irregular VerbsLearn all three forms for good
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