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# telling

«telling» in Mova's school dictionary: **telling a story»** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (telling, more telling, most telling); also the present participle and gerund of «tell» (tell, tells, told, telling); noun (a telling, tellings)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (verb form) Saying or reporting something: «She is telling a story». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#m1)

2) (adjective) Showing something important, often more than people meant to show: «a telling remark». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#m2)

3) (adjective) Having a strong effect: «a telling blow». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#m3)

4) (noun) The act of telling a story: «In this telling of the tale, the wolf is kind». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#m4)

5) (phrase) «telling off» = a scolding (UK, Australia); «that's telling him» = a sharp reply; «there's no telling» = no way to know. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#m5)

6) "Did not need twice telling" means a person did what they were asked straight away. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#m6)

### sense in the lessons

In stories and English lessons: a telling detail shows a character's feelings or a clue. In everyday life: «I got a telling-off for being late». In maths problems «telling» can mean what information you are given. Phrases: «telling the time», «telling off», «there's no telling», «a telling sign».

### examples

- Grandad is telling us a story about the war. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x1)
- She said nothing, but her silence was telling. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x2)
- The muddy footprints were a telling clue. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x3)
- I got a telling-off from Mum for leaving my bike out. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x4)
- There's no telling what the cat will do next. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x5)
- In this telling of Cinderella, the stepsisters are nice. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x6)
- We are learning telling the time in class. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x7)
- The man did not need twice telling. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/#x8)

### note

«Telling» as an adjective is not about speaking: «a telling look» shows something without words. «Telling off» (noun, UK/Aus) = a scolding; the verb is «tell someone off». «Tell» past: told (not «telled»).

### In the corpora

- [Many parents wait about three months before telling people, because the early weeks are the most uncertain.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/18-were-having-a-baby/2/)
- [Afterwards everyone goes to the pub, and some people even laugh while telling stories about Grandad.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/25-funerals-and-remembering/3/)
- [Before passing a story on, check it: a small nip can become a horror story in three tellings.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/41-our-street-who-parked-where-and-who-won-what/28/)
- [Telling a trusted adult that someone may be in danger is not gossip; it helps.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/50-rumours-about-classmates-and-secrets/14/)
- [Keeping it a secret usually makes the feeling heavier; telling makes it lighter.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/58-landing-on-an-18-film-by-accident/15/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «telling» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/telling/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.