tell apart

Meaning

This phrasal verb means to distinguish between two or more similar people, animals, or things, or to recognize the differences between them. It is almost always used with modal verbs like 'can,' 'could,' or 'be able to,' and often appears in negative sentences or questions. The tone is completely neutral and common in everyday conversations.

Examples

• The twins look so much alike that even their classmates can't tell them apart.

  The twins look so much alike that even their classmates can't tell them apart.

• It's hard to tell the original painting and the copy apart without a magnifying glass.

  It's hard to tell the original painting and the copy apart without a magnifying glass.

• Can you tell these two brands of coffee apart by taste alone?

  Can you tell these two brands of coffee apart by taste alone?

• The software helps users tell real emails apart from phishing attempts.

  The software helps users tell real emails apart from phishing attempts.

• Once they are out of their packaging, I really can't tell the cables apart.

  Once they are out of their packaging, I really can't tell the cables apart.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I cannot say them apart.

  ✓ I cannot tell them apart.

  Learners often translate literally from their native languages using 'say' instead of 'tell' when talking about distinguishing items.

• ✗ It is hard to tell apart the two cars.

  ✓ It is hard to tell the two cars apart.

  While 'tell apart' can sometimes be kept together, when referring to specific nouns, it is much more natural to split the phrasal verb and place the objects in the middle.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The puppies look identical, so I can't ___.

  💡 Use a pronoun in the middle of the phrasal verb.

  Show answer

  tell them apart

• A professional jeweler can easily ___ a real diamond from a fake one.

  💡 This means to distinguish or see the difference.

  Show answer

  tell apart