tell 是一个常见的用来表示动作“告诉”的单词，牢记它的固定搭配，只说自己该说的。
Tell a joke 讲个笑话
The host told a joke to his guest tobreakthe ice.
主人给客人讲了个笑话来打破僵局。
解析：break the ice 表示打破沉默（僵局）。
His friends say he was always quick to tell a joke.
他的朋友们说，以前他讲笑话总是张嘴就来。
Tell a lie 说谎
My mother and dad taught me never to tell a lie.
我父母教我不要说谎。
I feel guilty about having to tell a lie.
我为不得不说谎而感到内疚。
Tell a secret 说出秘密
I tell you a secret about myself and you tell me a secret about yourself.
我告诉你一个我的秘密，你再告诉我一个你的秘密。
I'm the best person to tell a secret to.
我是能倾诉秘密的最佳人选。
Tell a story 讲故事
Gather round and I'll tell you a story.
集合起来，我给你讲个故事。
If you tell a story, you'd better tell it to the full.
讲故事最好别掐头去尾。
解析：tell it to the full 表示讲得一清二楚。
Tell the time 告诉时间
My daughter has just learned to tell the time.
我女儿刚学会报时。
My four-year-old daughter cannot quite tell thetime.
我4岁大的女儿还不大会看表。
解析：cannot 是 can't 的常见的展开形式，can not 也是 can't 的展开形式，但是这样写的主要目的是强调 not，且经常用在感叹句中。
Tell the difference 说出区别
Can you tell the difference between apes and monkeys?
你能区分猿和猴子吗？
I can't really tell the difference between their policies and ours.
我真的看不出他们的政策和我们的有什么不同。
This old lady in the apartment next to mine offered to tell my fortune for ten bucks.
我隔壁公寓里的一位老太太提出十块钱给我算命。
解析：offer to do sth 表示主动提出作某事。
Show me your hand and I'll try to tell your fortune.
让我看看你的手，我可以给你算命。
Tell the truth 说实话
Fixing the boy with a steady look, the teacher forced him to tell the truth.
老师紧盯着这个男孩，迫使他讲出实情。
解析：现在分词 fixing the boy with a steady look 在句中作状语，表示主语 the teacher 的状态。
虽然你讲了真话，你还是没有说服我。