tell

[tʰɔː]verb
Early Childhood
1

To determine the number, amount, or value of [something].

2

To notice, discern. (Roughly, "can tell" means "know" but with a sense of direct perception.)

3

To pick up on a difference. (See tell apart for more.)

4

To narrate, to recount.

5

To convey by speech; to say.

6

To instruct or inform.

7

To order; to direct, to say to someone.

8

To use (beads or similar objects) as an aid to prayer.

9

To inform someone in authority about a wrongdoing.

10

To reveal information in prose through outright expository statement — contrasted with show.

Sound Patterns & Rhymes

Rhymes

Words that share the same ending sound pattern

Alliteration

Words starting with the same consonant sound — used in poetry and prose to create rhythm, emphasis, and memorable phrasing (e.g. “Peter Piper picked”)

Assonance

Words sharing similar vowel sounds regardless of starting letter — creates internal melody in writing

Consonance

Words sharing similar consonant sound patterns — adds texture and cohesion to writing