tell: 讲述，告诉，说，辨别，产生效果
"I have to tell you about Dave's new car!"
我一定要告诉你Dave买了新车。
"let me tell you about what happened last night!"
让我告诉你昨晚发生了什么吧！
"just tell him to go away!"
告诉他让他走开！
"I can tell this won't go well!"
我看得出来，这个走势不会太好。
"You can tell they're in love".
你看得出来他们已经陷入爱河了。
"You can tell going on holiday helped him to relax again"
你可以看出来，度假帮助他再次放松了下来。
"The strain of studying so hard was beginning to tell on him".
学习过度努力让他压力非常大。
"I told you that was going to hurt!"
我告诉过你会痛的！

say：说，讲，告诉
"I must say I didn't think much of their new album!"
我必须得说，我不是很喜欢他们的新专辑。
"What did he say?"
他说啥啦？
"What are you going to say to them?"
你准备和他们说什么？

speak：讲，谈，演说
"I wish to speak privately with you".
我想单独和你谈一谈。
"Speaking through his attorney, he refused to join the debate".
和他的律师聊过了之后，他拒绝加入这场辩论。
"she tried to speak to Seth about his drinking".
她尝试和Seth聊聊他酗酒的事。

talk：说话，讨论，讲，说，说闲话
"The two men talked about their plans."
那两个人聊了聊他们的计划。
"we need to talk, Jack."
我们需要聊一聊了，罗强。
"Don't try to talk me into going!"
不要尝试劝我去！
"Don't phone me at work - people will talk."
不要上班的时候给我打电话－他们会说闲话的。