told someone a story vs told a story to someone

Both phrases are correct and commonly used in English. They have the same meaning but differ in the word order. The choice between them depends on personal preference or the emphasis you want to place on the story or the person receiving it.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 1049 views

told someone a story

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase follows the pattern of 'told someone something,' where 'someone' is the person receiving the information. It is a straightforward and widely accepted way to express the action of narrating a story to someone.

Examples:

She told someone a story about her childhood.
He told someone a story that made them laugh.
They told someone a story that brought tears to their eyes.

Show examples from the web [+]

Someone told me a story about this, with, like laundry and betrayal.
Told a story about someone else?
Or someone told him that story, and he didn't know what it meant.
The Byelorussians, they all remember everything: someone was a child then, someone was told this story by his parents.
The second time he told me a story... about how someone offered him a boat cloak on a cold night.
A long time ago I was invited to a conference in New York, and someone - it was another shrink - told me a story.
Unless the stepdaughter told someone else.
He told someone about that's what got him killed.
We were told someone stepped outside the window here.
I just told someone 5 times.
I hope you told someone where we were going.
Shelby told someone, even though she promised you she wouldn't.
He told someone I was like his sister.
And I would have told someone.
He told someone that his ship was coming in.
As part of his recovery program, Chris told someone about the accident.
She was bound to have told someone.
I just told someone to turn off their phone and they did.
Bea told someone Darby was dating Ted.
He had to have told someone about that address.

Alternatives:

shared a story with someone
narrated a story to someone
related a story to someone
recounted a story to someone
conveyed a story to someone

told a story to someone

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase follows the pattern of 'told something to someone,' where 'to someone' indicates the recipient of the story. It is a valid and widely understood way to convey the action of sharing a story with someone.

Examples:

She told a story to someone who needed cheering up.
He told a story to someone who had never heard it before.
They told a story to someone who was eager to listen.

Show examples from the web [+]

Told a story about someone else?
Well, we got a story to write.
Gives us a story to tell our little one.
When I tell a story to my of them always provides the first sentence.
We just wanted a story to tell our friends.
There's a story to tell your grandchildren.
He might have a story to tell.
And I have a story to tell.
That's too good a story to be true.
Grenade fragments had a story to tell.
Every body has a story to tell.
What, you don't need a story to trust me, Jaime.
There's a story to it.
I assume you got a story to tell.
One day, I submitted a story to the literary magazine.
We need a story to tell.
Gentlemen hobos with a story to tell.
I'm just one woman with a story to tell.
You just want a story to tell.
I guess we'll have a story to tell her.

Alternatives:

shared a story with someone
narrated a story to someone
related a story to someone
recounted a story to someone
conveyed a story to someone

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told someone a story vs told a story to someone