TALKING (48) ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR ELEMENTARY

ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR ELEMENTARY

TALKING (48)

A	SAY (SAY / SAID / SAID) We use say when we report someone’s words. ·         She said, ‘This is horrible!’ ·         He said that he wanted a drink. We say hello / goodbye and we say please /thank you / Happy Birthday / Merry Christmas/ Happy New Year / Congratulations! /kəngrætʃəˈleɪʃənz/ We use say when we ask about language.
B	TELL (TELL / TOLD / TOLD) Tell is usually followed immediately by a person. Say is not followed immediately by a person. Tell is often used with how and wh- words (when, what, why, where) to find out and give information. Tell me when you want to have dinner. She told me how to fill in the application form. You can tell someone the time / a story / a joke / your name / your address / your phone number. Common mistakes He told me his name. (NOT He said me his name) Can you tell me where the bus station is, please? [NOT Can you say me……?)
C	ASK Ask is used for questions. My sister asked me where I was going. / My sister asked (me), ‘Where are you going?’ A: Can I ask you a question? B: Yes. A: What day of the week were you born? B: Thursday. You can ask someone the way / the time. You can ask somebody to do something and ask someone for something. ·         I asked him to turn off his radio. (or I said, ‘Please turn off your radio.’) ·         She asked for the bill. (or She said, ‘Can I have the bill, please?’)
D	SPEAK / TALK / ANSWER / REPLY I like talking to you. [having a conversation with you] Can you answer the telephone / the door, please? [pick up the phone / open the door to see who it is] Teacher: Who can answer the next question? Joanna? He didn’t reply to my email. (also used for letters / texts) [he did not send me an email back] Common mistakes Do you speak Japanese? (used for languages) [NOT Do you talk Japanese?]

Exercises

48.1	Fill the gaps with the correct form of say or tell. 1 Can you ____tell_____ me where the Plaza Hotel is, please? 2 She _____________ me her name. 3 I _____________ goodbye to her. 4 ‘Please _____________ me a story,’ the little boy_____________ 5 ‘Come here!’ the police officer _____________ 6 The teacher _____________ her students that they were very good.
48.2	What do you say? 1 You want to know if an English friend can help you talk to a Russian person who does not know English. Can _________you speak Russian__________? 2 You want to know the word for ‘tree’ in German. How ____________________________________________________ 3 You want to know the time. Excuse me, can you ____________________________________________________ 4 Your course is finished. You want to say goodbye to your teacher. I just want to ____________________________________________________ 5 You want to know when the exam is. Can you ____________________________________________________ 6 The telephone rings. You are busy cooking food. A friend is watching you. (to your friend) Can you ____________________________________________________
48.3	Match the verbs on the left with the words on the right. 1 say a an email 2 answer b someone to help you 3 ask for c Japanese 4 reply to d Happy New Year 5 tell e a friend 6 talk to f someone a joke 7 ask g the bill 8 speak h the door
48.4	Complete the phrases. 1 (on December 24th or 25th) ______Happy_________ Christmas! 2 (you want to pay in a restaurant) Can we have ________________, please? 3 (on the first day of the year) ________________Year! 4 (small child to parent) ________________a story before I go to sleep. Please!

ANSWER KEY

48.1	2	told
	3	said
	4	tell, said
	5	said
	6	said

48.2	2	How do you say ‘tree’ in German?
	3	Excuse me, can you tell me the time?
	4	I just want to say goodbye (to you).
	5	Can you tell me when the exam is?
	6	Can you answer the phone, please? / Can you tell them I’m busy / I’m cooking?

48.3	2	h answer the door
	3	g ask for the bill
	4	a reply to an email
	5	f tell someone a joke
	6	e talk to a friend
	7	b ask someone to help you
	8	c speak Japanese
	We can also say ‘answer an email’, but not ‘reply to the door’!

48.4	2	Can we have the bill, please?
	3	Happy New Year!
	4	Tell me a story before I go to sleep. Please!