What Does “Tell sb off” Mean?
“Tell sb off” means to speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong. It is often used when someone is being scolded or reprimanded.
Introduction
The phrase “Tell sb off” is a common English phrasal verb used when someone is being criticized or scolded, usually for bad behavior. Understanding the “Tell sb off meaning” helps learners recognize when someone is being spoken to angrily or told they did something wrong. This phrase is informal and often used in everyday conversations, especially when parents, teachers, or bosses correct someone’s mistakes. Knowing how to use “Tell sb off” correctly will make your English sound more natural and fluent.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Tell somebody off
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: To angrily criticize or scold someone
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Tell sb off” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object either between “tell” and “off” or after “off.”
- Tell someone off
- Tell off someone
Examples:
- She told him off for being late.
- He was told off by the teacher.
How to Use Tell sb off?
Use “Tell sb off” when you want to describe a situation where someone is being reprimanded or scolded. It usually involves a person in authority or someone upset with another person’s behavior. The tone is often angry or serious. You can use it in both formal and informal contexts, but it is more common in casual speech.
Examples
Imagine a parent catching their child drawing on the walls. The parent might tell the child off.
- My boss told me off for missing the deadline.
- She told me off because I forgot to call her.
- The teacher told the students off for talking during the exam.
- He got told off for breaking the vase.
- They told him off after he arrived late to the meeting.
Here is “Tell sb off in a sentence”: “The coach told the players off after their poor performance.”
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners mix up the word order or the object placement when using “Tell sb off.”
- Incorrect: Tell off him for being rude.
- Correct: Tell him off for being rude.
- Incorrect: She told off me yesterday.
- Correct: She told me off yesterday.
Remember, the object (someone) usually comes immediately after “tell.”
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include “scold,” “reprimand,” and “chew out.” However, “Tell sb off” is more informal and often used in everyday speech.
- Tell off – informal, usually spoken
- Scold – formal or informal, often used by parents or teachers
- Reprimand – formal, used in official or workplace contexts
- Chew out – very informal, American English, means to angrily criticize
For example, a manager might “reprimand” an employee, but a parent will “tell off” a child.
Common Collocations
When using “Tell sb off,” certain objects are more common because they represent the person being reprimanded.
- Tell a child off – scold a child
- Tell an employee off – criticize a worker
- Tell a student off – scold a student
- Tell someone off for (doing something) – explain the reason for the scolding
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of tell sb off:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “Tell sb off”:
Tom: Did you hear what the teacher said to Jack?
Anna: Yes, she told him off for not doing his homework again.
Tom: I guess Jack needs to be more responsible.
Practice
Try to complete the sentence below:
My mother __________ me __________ for coming home late last night.
- a) told / off
- b) told off / me
- c) told me off
- d) told off me
Answer: c) told me off
FAQ
- What does “Tell sb off” mean? It means to angrily criticize or scold someone for doing something wrong.
- Is “Tell sb off” formal or informal? It is mostly informal and used in everyday speech.
- Can I say “Tell off him”? No, the correct form is “Tell him off.”
- Who usually tells someone off? Parents, teachers, bosses, or anyone in authority may tell someone off.
- What is a synonym for “Tell sb off”? Synonyms include scold, reprimand, or chew out (informal).
