T509  +  467236 Tue, 22 Jan 08 01:23 AM Hi, everyone. Help me with the question below. a. The catalogue (       ) that this year's model  is slightly cheaper than last year's. 1. says   2. speaks   3. talks   4. tells Though my textbook says the answer is 1, I think 4 is also correct or grammatically possible. Any suggestion, or lecture be welcome. T509 Joined on Wed, Jun 28 2006 Tokyo Junior Member 86

	Moonwalker  +  467242 Tue, 22 Jan 08 01:36 AM  T509 wrote: Hi, everyone. Help me with the question below. a. The catalogue (       ) that this year's model  is slightly cheaper than last year's. 1. says   2. speaks   3. talks   4. tells Though my textbook says the answer is 1, I think 4 is also correct or grammatically possible. Any suggestion, or lecture be welcome. When you use the verb 'tell' you need  sb who you talk to. Moonwalker Joined on Mon, Jan 21 2008 Junior Member 57 Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow. -Goethe- Verbs

	T509  +  467315 Tue, 22 Jan 08 06:53 AM Thanks for the reply, Moonwalker. But my dictionary says that tell must normally be followed by a personal object; say is used without a personal object. I want to know how abnormal it is to use tell without a personal object. Does it never happen? T509

	CalifJim  +  467323 Tue, 22 Jan 08 07:25 AM I want to know how abnormal it is to use tell without a personal object. You can do this when you use tell idiomatically, as when "can tell" means "know".  Here are some examples. I can't tell the difference between a mushroom and a toadstool. I can always tell when you're tired;  your eyes get all red. Little Sally is only four years old, but she knows how to tell time. The best policy is always to tell the truth. For reporting what people say to each other use the personal object with tell. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,399 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Difference Between

	Mister Micawber  +  467333 Tue, 22 Jan 08 08:39 AM ...Or you can simply tell a story-- but an object of some kind is needed (even if it is elided, as in Is that a mushroom?  I never can tell). Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,802 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'