A. Complete these sentences using an appropriate form of say or tell.
1 She looks really unhappy. What did you ……say…… to her?
2 He didn't ………………… that he would be late.
3 I'm not sure if he was ………………… me the truth.
4 He ………………… her to wait.
5 They ………………… goodbye at the station.
6 She's going to ………………… us everything tomorrow.
7 She didn't ………………… anyone she was going to the park.
8 She ………………… she doesn't like cheese.
Answers
2 say 3 telling 4 told 5 said 6 tell
7 tell 8 says /said
B. Make sentences by putting the words in the correct order.
1 please / phone / number / tell / Can / me / your / you?
Can you tell me your phone number please?
2 police officer / did / tell / you / What / the / do / to?
………………………………………………..
3 were / happy / not / said / customers / The / they
………………………………………………..
4 Have / problems / anyone / you / about / your / told?
………………………………………………..
5 She / she / get / up / would / said / early
………………………………………………..
6 later / will / you / about / I / the / tell / match
………………………………………………..
7 Passengers / platform 3 / told / go / were / to / to
………………………………………………..
8 very / well / said / not / My / dad /was /feeling / he
………………………………………………..
9 go / in / told / not / She / everyone/to
………………………………………………..
10 told / come / them / We / not / could / we
………………………………………………..
Answers
2 What did you tell the police officer to do? / What did the police officer tell you to do?
3 The customers said they were not happy.
4 Have you told anyone about your problems?
5 She said she would get up early.
6 I will tell you about the match later.
7 Passengers were told to go to platform 3.
8 My dad said he was not feeling very well.
9 She told everyone not to go in.
10 We told them we could not come.
C. Rewrite the sentences in reported speech using the pattern tell + object + (not) to-infinitive and the words in brackets.
1 'Come back in four weeks.' (The dentist / him)
The dentist told him to come back in four weeks.
2 'Call back later!' (He /me)
……………………………………………
3 'Don't leave without us.' (We / the others)
……………………………………………
4 'Wait outside.'(I will / her)
……………………………………………
5 'Don't park in front of the house!'(Tell / the driver)
……………………………………………
6 'Don't be late!' (I / Simon)
……………………………………………
7 'Don't say anything!' (The girl / her friend)
……………………………………………
8 'Don't worry!' (He / always / me)
……………………………………………
Answers
2 He told me to call back later.
3 We told the others not to leave without us.
4 I will tell her to wait outside.
5 Tell the driver not to park in front of the house.
6 I told Simon not to be late.
7 The girl told her friend not to say anything.
8 He always tells me not to worry.
D. What do you think was happening? Write sentences using phrases with say and tell in your notebook.
1 The girl didn't believe the boy.
She thought he was telling a lie.
2 Everyone in the class was laughing.
3 The boy went red in the face.
4 The children were listening very carefully to the man.
5 The girl was speaking very quietly to her friend.
6 It was difficult for the boy to speak to his mother. But afterwards he felt better.
Answers
Possible answers
2 The teacher was telling a good joke.
3 He wasn't telling the truth.
4 He was telling a story.
5 She was telling (her / her friend) a secret.
6 He said sorry.
E. Circle the correct option.
1 Jo ……………. me she was waiting for Beth.
a told b told to c said
2 'There's a great film on at the cinema,' I ……………. .
a told b said her c said
3 I told Jo ……………. for Beth, but to come to the cinema with me.
a to wait not
b to don't wait
c not to wait
4 When Beth arrived, she didn't even say ……………. for being late.
a a lie b sorry c a joke
5 A: Hi. Are you angry with me? I thought it was still five o'clock. B: Can't you ……………. time?
a say the b tell the c tell a
Answers
1 a 2 c 3 c 4 b 5 b