telling him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "telling him" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of communicating information or instructions to a male individual. Example: "She was telling him about the changes in the schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I keep telling him no.

The New Yorker

"Homestretch," she keeps telling him.

The New York Times

What is she telling him?

The New Yorker

No use telling him now.

The New Yorker

I'm telling him, he's wrong".

The New Yorker

But you try telling him that".

The New Yorker

"Hey, good job," she recalled telling him.

The New York Times

"I was telling him to be patient.

The New York Times - Sports

"Stay awake, baby," she kept telling him.

The New York Times - Health

"Be careful," Koenig recalls Zwirner telling him.

The New Yorker

They're telling him what to do.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "telling him" when you want to describe the act of communicating information, advice, or instructions to a male individual. It's a versatile phrase applicable in both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "telling him" excessively in dialogues, as it can make the writing sound monotonous. Vary your sentence structure by using synonyms like "he said", "he explained", or "he mentioned" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "telling him" is as a verb phrase, where "telling" is the verb in the present participle form and "him" is the object pronoun. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's acceptability and wide use.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "telling him" is grammatically sound and very common in written and spoken English. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms its acceptability across various contexts. It serves to describe the act of conveying information, instructions, or narratives to a male individual. While generally neutral in register, it appears most frequently in news and media, as evidenced by the numerous examples sourced from publications like The New York Times and The Guardian. When using "telling him", be mindful of over-repetition and consider varying your language with alternatives such as "informing him" or "letting him know" for stylistic diversity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

informing him

This alternative focuses on the act of conveying information.

notifying him

This suggests a more formal or official communication.

letting him know

This is a more casual way of saying "telling him".

explaining to him

This emphasizes clarifying or making something understandable.

advising him

This implies giving him guidance or recommendations.

communicating to him

This focuses on the general act of sharing thoughts or information.

reporting to him

This suggests conveying specific information, often in a professional context.

mentioning to him

This suggests a brief or casual reference.

confiding in him

Implies sharing a secret or something personal.

disclosing to him

This focuses on revealing something previously unknown or private.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "telling him"?

You can use alternatives like "informing him", "notifying him", or "letting him know" depending on the context.

How to use "telling him" in a sentence?

"Telling him" is typically followed by the information being conveyed, for example, "I was telling him about the new project."

Is it correct to say "telling to him" instead of "telling him"?

No, "telling to him" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "telling him". The preposition 'to' is not needed after 'telling' when the object is a person.

What's the difference between "telling him" and "asking him"?

"Telling him" implies conveying information or giving instructions, while "asking him" implies seeking information or a request.