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Tell Me What You Said



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Instructions:Complete the following dialogues with the correct form of the verbs sayor tell:
 
Examples:
  • Speak more slowly. I don't understand what you are  saying.
  • I  told  you before and I'm not going to  tell  you again: 'Stop doing that!'

1.
Speaker A: I'd like to     how much I appreciated your kindness during my wife's illness.    
  
Speaker B: Don't mention it. That's what neighbors are for. I was glad to be of service.  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is not mentioned, so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. As the preceding word 'to' indicates, this is an infinitive, so use the basic verb form. Compare: I'd like to see you.
 
When you click check, a wrong answer -- or no answer -- will produce a hint.
When it appears, click on next question to scroll down the page.

2.
Speaker A: I don't trust Paul. He's always     lies.    
  
Speaker B: I know what you mean. He likes to invent things to impress people.  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Use 'tell.' Compare the following expressions: tell a story, tell the truth.      Hint:    Careful with verb form. 'Always' usually indicates the simple present, but here it is used in the sense of 'He has a habit of ...' Compare: Why are you always complaining?

3.
Speaker A: Is Gloria coming to the meeting today?  
Speaker B: I don't think so. I spoke to here last night and she     she had a bad cold.    
  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is not mentioned, so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Use the past tense, which is irregular.

4.
Speaker A: He addressed us as his friends, fellow Romans and countrymen, and     us he had come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.   
  
Speaker B: You didn't believe him, I hope.  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person or persons addressed by the speaker is mentioned, so use 'tell.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Use the past tense, which is irregular.

5.
Speaker A: He told me that it was my fault. Not exactly in those words, of course, but it was clear he thought I was responsible. 
Speaker B: I can probably guess what he told you. He     'We all make mistakes.' Of course, the mistake is never his. It's always someone else's.   
  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person is quoting the exact words used (direct speech), so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here the verb is in the past, which is irregular.

6.
Speaker A: I'm not very good at     jokes, but here goes. A guy stepped on a mushroom and squashed it. He...    
  
Speaker B: I've heard it. Do you have any others? 
 
check answers
     Hint:    This is one of those expressions where we use 'tell,' not 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here you must use the verb form that ends in '-ing' (gerund) after a preposition ('at').

7.
Speaker A: Why do you keep on     me that winter's coming?   
  
Speaker B: Because it could snow any day now and you still have summer tires on your car. You should put on the snow tires. 
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker ('me') is mentioned, so use 'tell.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here you must use the verb form that ends in '-ing' (gerund) after 'keep on.'

8.
Speaker A: I hear you speak Welsh. Can you     something in Welsh. I want to hear what it sounds like.    
  
Speaker B: LLanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllantisiliogogogoch. (= name of a village in Wales)  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is not mentioned, so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here the verb follows 'can,' so use the basic verb form, that is, the infinitive without 'to.'

9.
Speaker A: John called me and told me we are supposed to meet at 7 a.m. Is that true?  
Speaker B: I don't know why he     that. That's too early. We're meeting at 9 a.m.    
  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is not mentioned, so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Past tense irregular.

10.
Speaker A: Look at that. It's raining cats and dogs, like you     it would.    
  
Speaker B: It was so hot I knew there was a storm coming.  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is not mentioned, so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Use the past tense, which is irregular.

11.
Speaker A: I can't     the difference between those two colors. They're so alike.    
  
Speaker B: You're not serious. One's red and the other's purple. You must be color blind.  
 
check answers
     Hint:    This is one of those expressions where we always use 'tell.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here the verb follows 'can,' so use the basic verb form, that is, the infinitive without 'to.'

12.
Speaker A: It's gotten very cold all of a sudden.  
Speaker B: I     so, didn't I. Indian summers usually end like this.    
  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is not mentioned, so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here the verb is in the past, which is irregular.

13.
Speaker: All right, kids. When I     'Go!' run like crazy. The first to reach that tree will be the winner.    
  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is not mentioned, so use 'say.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Although it refers to the future, we use the present tense after 'if,' 'when,' 'as soon as,' 'after,' 'until,' etc.

14.
Speaker A: The trouble with Paula is that she enjoys     people what to do.    
  
Speaker B: I know. I'd hate to have her as a boss.  
 
check answers
     Hint:    Here the person addressed by the speaker is mentioned, so use 'tell.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here you must use the verb form that ends in '-ing' (gerund) after 'enjoy.'

15.
Speaker A: My son Christopher learned to     the time at school. He's so proud.    
  
Speaker B: Now I know what to get him for Christmas. I'll buy him a nice watch. 
 
check answers
     Hint:    This is one of those expressions where we always use 'tell.'
     Hint:    Careful with verb form. Here the verb follows 'can,' so use the basic verb form, that is, the infinitive without 'to.'

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