Fill in the blanks with ask, say or tell.
1Do you believe that she is ............... the truth?
Wrong!
We use "telling" in the fixed expression "telling the truth".
2She ............... something funny.
Wrong!
Use "said" before something that someone expressed without a personal object.
3I ............... him why he looked upset.
Wrong!
Use "asked" before a person and an indirect question.
4I ............... where he had been.
Wrong!
Use "asked" before an indirect question such as "where he had been".
5What she ............... shocked us.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Use "said" for the words someone expressed, or "asked" for the question someone put; neither needs a personal object here, but "told" normally does.
6She ............... goodbye to me and left.
Wrong!
Use "said" in the expression "said goodbye".
7I ............... him to mind his own business.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "told" and "asked" can be followed by a person plus "to" and an infinitive.
8She ............... if I was busy.
Wrong!
Use "asked" before an indirect yes/no question with "if".
9She ............... that she would be late.
Wrong!
Use "said" before a reported statement with "that" when there is no personal object.
10What did you ...............?
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "say" and "ask" can be used without a direct personal object in this question.
11She didn't ............... anything.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "say" and "ask" can be followed by "anything" without a personal object.
12............... me what happened.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "Tell" and "Ask" can be followed by a person and an indirect question.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Do you believe that she is telling the truth?
- She said something funny.
- I asked him why he looked upset.
- I asked where he had been.
- What she said / asked shocked us.
- She said goodbye to me and left.
- I told / asked him to mind his own business.
- She asked if I was busy.
- She said that she would be late.
- What did you say / ask?
- She didn’t say / ask anything.
- Tell / Ask me what happened.