It’s grammar time! Do you know when to use say, tell, talk, or speak?

Say and tell have different uses in English:

Talk and speak are physical actions. Their meanings are quite similar, with a few key differences:

Complete each gap with say, tell, talk, or speak in the appropriate form:

1. Generally ________, there will be room for around a hundred guests at the wedding.
2. Look, would you just ________ me the truth about Babs, please?
3. ‘And then she told me to get lost!’ ‘What an awful thing to ________!’
4. When Janet resigned in front of the board, I was so shocked I could hardly ________!
5. Robbie ________ a joke in class, but nobody saw the funny side of it.
6. Could you ________ up, please? I’m a bit deaf.
7. I’ll give you the stuffing with the turkey for free. Now, I can’t ________ fairer than that.
8. ‘John said the company is close to collapse!’ ‘No! He’s ________ utter rubbish.’
9. It’s vital that I ________ to my doctor about the test results.
10. Peter ________ good morning to Alice when he met her in the car park.
11. Darren has really enjoyed ________ to his kids on the way home from Ireland.
12. ‘You can’t park here, mate.’ ‘OK, whatever you ________.’
13. Just stop ________ me what to do!
14. When the plane had finally landed, we got in a taxi and ________ for hours.
15. My sister was ________ to her boyfriend about her holiday.
16. I was trying to ________ them about the paintings, but they preferred the gift shop.
17. Geoff? Good. Phil here. OK. We need to ________ business.
18. OK, everyone get ready. I’m going to take the picture. ________ cheese!
19. Is it true that Ellen ________ Norwegian fluently?
20. The grass snake was as big as a python – I’m ________ you!

Answers:

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Taken from Big Grammar Book Intermediate Book 1 – download it FREE here!