Speak,Talk,Say和TellSpeak比较庄重，表示某人(即讲者)在一段对话中所说的话较其它人多。举例：ThePrincipalspeakstouseverymorningattheassembly.Tom,yourbosswantstospeaktoyou.Talk不及speak庄重，而且多用于说话，少用于书写。Talk表示两个或更多的人在对话。举例：Thestudentsweretalkingloudlyintheclassroom,intheverypresenceoftheteacher.当宾语是一种语言时，要用speak不用talk或say：正确：VictorspeaksfluentPutonghua.错误：VictortalksfluentPutonghua.错误：VictorsaysfluentPutonghua.在书面英语，talk极少用作及物动词，除非在talk后接用以下的宾语：Stoptalkingnonsense.Theyaretalkingbusinessagain.若不是接用上列的宾语，talk后必需接用前置词about。举例：正确：BettyandSusanaretalkingaboutthetriptoLondon.错误：BettyandSusanaretalkingtheirtriptoLondon.Say通常跟讲者所说的话一起使用，不论是直述句或陈述句：Pleasesayhello/thankyoutoyourmum.Whatdidyourfathersaywhenyoutoldhimaboutyourplantogetmarried?'Icantbelieveit,'hesaid.Hesaidthathecouldnotbelieveit.可是，say有时也可用于一些非直述句或陈述句中。看看以下的例子：Iwantyoutosaysomethingabouthowwemetatourweddingparty.注意somethingabouthowwemet并不是用于引述别人所说的真实语句。另一方面，tell并不是用于引述别人所说的话语，而是表达别人的说话中所述的事实或资料：Hetoldmeabouttheaccident.Hetoldhisparentsthetruth.Hetoldusafunnystory.在陈述命令句中，应用tell而不用say：'Keepquiet,'theteachersaidtothestudents.Theteachertoldthestudentstokeepquiet.Dontstayuplate,'mymothersaidtome.Mymothertoldmenottostayuplate.