1. He talked to himself, "How can I send e-mails on the Internet?"
2. He said to himself, "How can I send e-mails on the Internet?"
3. He spoke to himself, "How can I send e-mails on the Internet?"
Are all the expressions correct? Which one is commonly used? Say to, talk to, or speak to? Are they the same?
All 3 are grammatically correct but #2 is said most often. OR "He asked himself....."
Most commonly, 2 is used (said). I think that 1 and 3 sound funny. I think you need different punctuation or sentence structuring in order to have them make sense.
All three expressions you mentioned are correct and can be used interchangeably in this context. However, there may be slight differences in their usage and connotations.
1. "He talked to himself, 'How can I send e-mails on the Internet?'"
2. "He said to himself, 'How can I send e-mails on the Internet?'"
3. "He spoke to himself, 'How can I send e-mails on the Internet?'"
The expression "talked to himself" suggests a more informal or casual tone, as if the person is having a conversation with their own thoughts.
"Said to himself" is a more neutral and commonly used expression to indicate that someone is thinking or pondering a question or statement.
"Spoke to himself" can also convey a similar meaning, but it may sound slightly more formal or deliberate.
In terms of which one is commonly used, "said to himself" is typically the most frequently used expression to describe a person in solitary thought or self-reflection.
Ultimately, the choice between "talked to," "said to," and "spoke to" would depend on the desired tone and style of expression.