If someone says something that you want to tell another person, you can report it using direct speech or reported speech. In direct speech we use speech (or quotation) marks to show the exact ...

Did you say anything to her? I told her nothing about it! Note that when we are quoting direct speech, say is the more commonly used verb as say refers to any kind of speech. Tell is used only ...

the reporting clause and the reported clause, which are the two basic components of speech reports. The reporting clause is the introductory one that includes a verb such as say, tell, ask ...