tell apart

see the difference between two similar people or things

B2

What does "tell sb apart" mean?

To tell two things or people apart means to recognise which one is which — to see enough of a difference between them to identify them separately. It is most commonly used when this is difficult or even impossible, because the two things look, sound, or seem almost identical. You might use it about people who look very similar, products that seem the same, or any situation where distinguishing between two options is a real challenge. The idea at the heart of the phrase is that similarity creates confusion, and telling things apart is the act of cutting through that confusion. It works equally well in everyday conversation and in more formal writing, such as journalism or scientific description.

Examples

How to use it

tell + pronoun + apart

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'tell' and 'apart' — placing it after 'apart' is ungrammatical.

The two logos are nearly identical — I really can't tell them apart.

tell + noun object + apart

With noun objects, the separated form is strongly preferred and sounds more natural than keeping the object after 'apart'.

Even their closest friends struggle to tell the two sisters apart.

impossible / difficult / hard + to + tell + object + apart

This verb frequently appears in constructions with adjectives that signal difficulty, reflecting how often the act of distinguishing fails.

The counterfeit notes were so well made that it was almost impossible to tell them apart from the genuine ones.

can't / couldn't + tell + object + apart

Negative modal constructions are especially common with this phrasal verb, emphasising an inability to distinguish.

I tried both versions of the software, but I honestly couldn't tell them apart.

barely / hardly + tell + object + apart

Adverbs like 'barely' and 'hardly' add a near-negative sense, showing that distinction is only just possible, if at all.

The two paint colours were so close in shade that you could barely tell them apart on the wall.

Common Collocations

identical twinsthe two copiesthe samplessimilar productsthe siblingsthe two versions

Common Mistakes

Pronoun after 'apart'

Pronoun objects must always go between 'tell' and 'apart', never after 'apart'. This is non-negotiable — the form 'tell apart them' is completely ungrammatical.

✗ The twins look so alike that I can't tell apart them.
✓ The twins look so alike that I can't tell them apart.
Confusing 'tell apart' with 'tell from'

'Tell apart' treats both similar items as a group ('I can't tell them apart'), while 'tell from' singles out one item and contrasts it against a specific other ('I can't tell the copy from the original'). They are close in meaning but not interchangeable in structure.

✗ The two samples looked identical — I couldn't tell apart the fake from the real one.
✓ The two samples looked identical — I couldn't tell them apart. / I couldn't tell the fake from the real one.
Leaving out the object

'Tell apart' always needs an object — it cannot be used without one, unlike some phrasal verbs that work intransitively. You must specify what is being distinguished.

✗ The jackets look so similar. I just can't tell apart.
✓ The jackets look so similar. I just can't tell them apart.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. It is very commonly used in negative constructions with modal verbs, such as 'I can't tell them apart' or 'it's impossible to tell them apart'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'tell apart' be used in the passive, like 'they could be told apart'?

Technically it is possible, but native speakers almost never use 'tell apart' in the passive — it sounds very awkward. It is much more natural to keep an active structure, such as 'you could barely tell them apart' rather than 'they could barely be told apart'.

Does 'tell apart' always suggest something is difficult?

Not always, but difficulty is by far the most common context. You will encounter it most often in negative or near-negative sentences ('can't tell them apart', 'impossible to tell apart'). Affirmative uses like 'I can easily tell them apart' are perfectly correct, but they are much less frequent.

Can 'tell apart' be used for more than two things?

Yes — while two items are the most typical scenario, you can use it for a group of similar things too. For example, 'with so many near-identical proposals on the table, it was hard to tell them apart' works naturally when there are several items, not just two.

Is 'tell the difference between' the same as 'tell apart'?

They mean the same thing and are often interchangeable. 'Tell apart' tends to emphasise the similarity of the two items and the challenge of distinguishing them, while 'tell the difference between' is slightly more neutral. Either works in most everyday contexts.

What kinds of things can be the object of 'tell apart'?

Almost anything that comes in pairs or similar groups: people (especially twins or siblings), animals of the same breed, products, samples, versions of a document, sounds, colours, and so on. The key is that the two things being compared must be similar enough that distinguishing them is genuinely challenging.

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