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Exercise 1   

Choose the best option.

a   John talks and talks and talks and yet he never says/tells anything.

b   I don’t like my boss. He makes/lets me do all the photocopying.

c   Are you coming/going round to my place this evening?

d   Do stop talking/speaking rubbish.

e   When you go/come round, could you bring my video back?

f   What language do they speak/talk in Uzbekistan?

g   Please say/tell me what’s wrong.

h   Let’s begin/start Word and write the letter.

i   I’m going to bring/fetch the kids from school now. Back in a sec.

j   Oh, please make/let me stay up and watch the film.

Exercise 2   

Find and correct the mistakes in the verbs in these sentences.

a   Could you please tell that again? I didn’t hear you properly.

b   Have I ever said you I love you?

c   ‘Could you come here, please?’ ‘OK. I’m going.’

d   He talks French well.

e   I’ll make you stay if you promise to be good.

f   I can’t begin the engine. I think there’s something wrong with it.

g   Could you fetch this video back to the shop for me?

h   Kate’s bringing her dog to the vets. He’s unwell.

i   Lia said us a joke yesterday. It was very funny.

j   I’d love to come and live in Italy but I can’t.

Exercise 3   

Choose the best option, A or B.

a   Don’t …………………. me you’ve lost your keys again.

     A   say      B   tell

b   French and Flemish are …………………. in Belgium.

     A   talked       spoken

c   It was a great day. They even …………………. us stroke the kangaroos.

     A   made      B   let

d   Why don’t you …………………. round to Jean’s place and ask her out?

     A   go      B   come

e   Shall I …………………. you out somewhere tonight?

     A   bring      B   take

f   Can you …………………. me what the time is, please?

     A   tell      B   say

g   What complete rubbish you ………………….

     A   speak      B   talk

h   ‘Where’s the corkscrew?’ ‘In the kitchen. I’ll go and …………………. it.’

     A   bring      B   fetch

i   Let’s …………………. to the park.

     A   go      B   come

j   Liz …………………. the truth. Mark lied.

    A   said      B   told

Exercise 4

Complete the sentences with a verb from the list in the correct form.

say       make       fetch       tell       go       come       talk (x2)       speak       start

a   I once met a man who just couldn’t stop …………………. lies.

b   As soon as term finishes I’m …………………. to Spain.

c   He has travelled a lot and …………………. several languages.

d   He’s a good dog. I throw the ball and he …………………. it.

e   I …………………. Microsoft Windows but nothing happened.

f   Let’s invite John to the meeting. He always …………………. sense!

g   The baby …………………. her first word. It was ‘dog’, unfortunately.

h   …………………. over here. I want to show you something.

i   If only animals could …………………. to us. I wonder what they’d say.

j   My mum …………………. me come home by ten o’clock.

Answers

Read the note to find out why.

1

a   says                 -> A        f   speak               -> C

b   makes            -> F        g   tell                   -> B

c   coming           -> D        h   start                -> G

d   talking            -> C        i   fetch                -> E

e   come              -> D        j   let                     -> F

2

a    tell                  say         -> A

b   said                 told        -> A, B

c   going               coming  -> D

d   talks                speaks   -> C

e   make               let          -> F

f   begin               start      -> G

g   fetch               take       -> E

h   bringing         taking    -> E

i    said                 told        -> A, B

j   come               go          -> D

3

a   B      b   B      c   B      d   A      e   B

f   A       g   B      h   B      i   A       j   B

4            

a    telling            f   talks

b    going             g   said

c    speaks           h   Come

d    fetches          i   talk

e    started          j   makes

Notes

A

Use say (not tell) to talk about speech in general. Use tell (not say) when you’re informing or instructing someone. Use tell in certain fixed expressions with joke, story, lie, etc.

B

Put a personal direct object or someone’s name after tell/told. Don’t put a personal direct object after say/said.

C

Use speak to refer to languages and the physical ability to speak. Use talk in expressions with rubbish, sense, etc.

D

Use come for a movement in the direction of the speaker. Use go for a movement away from the speaker.

E

Use bring to talk about a movement in the direction of the speaker. Use take to talk about other movements. Use fetch when you mean ‘go and bring back’.

F

Use make to force someone to do something. Use let to allow someone to do something.

G

Use start (not begin) when you’re setting something in motion, e.g. an engine.

Review

Confusing verbs

Say, speak, tell and talk

–   You use say (not tell) to talk about speech in general. You use tell (not say) when you’re informing someone about something or giving them instructions.

    He said something funny the other day.     What did you say?

    I told you not to climb on the chairs.      I’ll tell you how to get there.

–   Always put a personal direct object or someone’s name after tell and told. Never put a personal direct object after say or said.

     We’re going to tell Katy about the article.    Did you say something?

–   You use tell in certain fixed expressions.

     Tell lies/a story/the time/a joke/the truth/the difference.

–   You use speak when you’re referring to languages and to refer to the physical ability to speak.

     I speak French and Italian.     Of course he can’t speak to you. He’s a rabbit.

–   You use talk in fixed expressions with rubbish, nonsense, sense, etc. and to refer to the act of speaking.

     Don’t talk rubbish.      Let’s talk about it tonight.      Come and talk to me!

Come and go; bring, take and fetch

–   You use come to talk about a movement in the direction of the speaker or the person you’re speaking to. You use go to talk about a movement away from the speaker or the person you’re speaking to.

     Come over here a second.      I’d love to go to Venezuela.

–   You use bring to talk about a movement in the direction of the speaker or the person you’re speaking to. You use take to talk about other movements. You use fetch when you mean ‘go and bring back’.

     Could you bring a bottle of wine round?      I’ll take the laptop with me.

     My dog’s good at fetching sticks.

Make and let; start and begin

–   You use make when someone forces someone else to do something. You use let when someone allows someone else to do something.

     He makes me do the washing-up.      Will you let me come with you?

–   You use start (not begin) when you’re referring to setting something in motion.

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