WE USE SAY FOR DIRECT QUOTATION Jhon said: " i am very busyl Mary said to me, I dont feel welll we use tell for IN DIRECT QUOTATION Mary told me that she didnt feel welll we also use tell in the following special ways: to tell the truth to tell a lie to tell a story to tell about something.

“Said” is a more general word. It applies to any words that come out of a person’s mouth. “Told” is more limited: it applies when (i) a person is giving an order (e.g., “The mother told her children to go to bed.”) or (ii) a person is teaching, instructing, or otherwise relaying information to another person (e.g., “The teacher told the students about World War I.” Or “He told me that he was born in Australia”).

Said means repeating what words were spoken. Told means repeating what words were spoken but implies there was some instruction involved. Example: When we passed each other in the hallway he said, “hello” to me. Example: I said to myself, “What a beautiful morning!” Example: I am putting the tools away because the boss told me to do it. Example: The teacher told the students to enter the classroom quietly.