Grammar exercise: say and tell

Complete the following sentences.

1. She left without ……………………… a word.

a) saying

b) telling

c) say

d) tell

2. That is what everybody …………………..

a) says

b) tells

c) saying

d) telling

3. …………………. me about your plans.

a) Tell

b) Say

4. She ………………….. that it was my last chance.

a) said

b) told

5. Mary …………………., ‘What a nice idea.’

a) told

b) said

6. She …………………. me that she would be late.

a) told

b) said

7. I got really angry when he ………………….. something nasty about my father.

a) said

b) told

8. I ……………………. them to go away.

a) said

b) told

9. She …………………… an interesting story.

a) said

b) told

10. I don’t think she …………………. the truth.

a) is saying

b) is telling

c) says

d) tells

11. Do what I ………………….., not what I do.

a) say

b) tell

12. The joke he …………………… made us laugh.

a) said

b) told

Answers

1. She left without saying a word.

2. That is what everybody says.

3. Tell me about your plans.

4. She said that it was my last chance.

5. Mary said, ‘What a nice idea.’

6. She told me that she would be late.

7. I got really angry when he said something nasty about my father.

8. I told them to go away.

9. She told an interesting story.

10. I don’t think she is telling the truth.

11. Do what I say, not what I do.

12. The joke he told made us laugh.