has told that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has told that" is not correct and usable in written English.
It is typically incorrect because "told" should be followed by a direct object or an indirect object, not "that." Example: "She has told me that she will arrive late."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Adrian Ellis, the executive director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, has told that organization's board he will step down in early January.

The New York Times

Arlene, now a banker in Princeton who has served on alumni committees and as a class officer, says she has told that story to Dean of Admission Janet Rapelye and President Tilghman, because she thinks it holds lessons for today's recruiting efforts.

Princeton University

In his autobiography, Lee cites the non-superhuman pulp magazine crime fighter the Spider (see also The Spider's Web and The Spider Returns) as a great influence, and in a multitude of print and video interviews, Lee stated he was further inspired by seeing a spider climb up a wall adding in his autobiography that he has told that story so often he has become unsure of whether or not this is true.

Wikipedia

Our previous study has told that EA, at the ST36 acupoint, inhibited the expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 MAPK in ipsilateral SCDH, and also induced a hyperalgisic response [ 18, 37].

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

"He has told that to the elected leaders of our community.

The New York Times

Either way, time has told that they're probably better off forgotten.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"If I had been there, I would have told that man: 'How dare you?

The New York Times

"Once you had told that story you had to stick with it, didn't you?" The woman replied: "No,".

BBC

What would you have told that guy?

Huffington Post

Books and movies have told that story.

Huffington Post

I've told that story a lot.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "has told that" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "has stated that" or "has informed [someone] that" for clearer communication.

Common error

The verb "tell" typically requires a direct or indirect object (the person being told). Saying "has told that" omits this crucial element, creating a grammatical error. Always specify who received the information, for example, "He has told me that..."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has told that" functions as a clause introducing reported speech or information. However, Ludwig AI points out that it's grammatically incorrect because the verb "tell" requires an indirect object (the recipient of the information) before the "that" clause. Examples on Ludwig, despite their existence, do not validate the grammatical correctness of this construction.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "has told that" aims to introduce reported speech, it is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig AI indicates that "tell" requires an object (the person being told) before the "that" clause. Although examples exist, primarily in News & Media and Academia, authoritative sources generally favor grammatically correct alternatives such as "has stated that" or "has informed [someone] that". Therefore, it is advisable to avoid "has told that" in formal writing to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has stated that

Replaces "told" with "stated", providing a more formal and grammatically correct alternative. The emphasis is still on making a declaration.

has informed that

Substitutes "told" with "informed", highlighting the act of conveying factual information. More formal than "told".

has mentioned that

Uses "mentioned" instead of "told", suggesting a casual or brief communication of information.

has reported that

Replaces "told" with "reported", indicating the relaying of information, often from a source or investigation.

has announced that

Uses "announced" instead of "told", suggesting a formal or public declaration.

has revealed that

Replaces "told" with "revealed", implying the disclosure of previously unknown information.

has indicated that

Substitutes "told" with "indicated", suggesting a subtle or indirect communication of information.

has communicated that

Uses "communicated" instead of "told", emphasizing the broader act of conveying information through any means.

has disclosed that

Replaces "told" with "disclosed", which implies revealing information that was previously private or confidential.

has advised that

Substitutes "told" with "advised," implying giving a recommendation or guidance.

FAQs

Why is "has told that" considered grammatically incorrect?

The verb "tell" requires a direct or indirect object specifying who received the information. The phrase "has told that" omits this object, making it grammatically incomplete and incorrect. Consider using alternatives like "has stated that" or "has informed me that".

What are some alternatives to "has told that" in formal writing?

In formal writing, replace "has told that" with more precise and grammatically correct options such as "has stated that", "has reported that", or "has confirmed that". These alternatives maintain clarity and professionalism.

How can I correctly use "tell" in a sentence to avoid the error of "has told that"?

To correctly use "tell", always include an object (the person being told). For example, "He has told me that he will be late" or "She told her friend the news". Avoid constructions like "has told that" without specifying the recipient of the information.

Is there a situation where "has told that" might be acceptable?

While "has told that" appears in some informal contexts, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. It's best to always use a grammatically sound alternative like "has mentioned that" or "has indicated that" for clear and effective communication.