The Question
Q35 says "Complete the following dialogue" and carries 3 marks (3 × 1). There is no choice against it.
The paper prints a short conversation with a line of context in square brackets at the top, such as [Two friends meet in the park], and three blanks. Under or beside each blank is the function you must perform: greeting, giving information, expressing gratitude, and so on.
[Two friends meet in the park] Devraj : _ how are you? (Greeting) Shivaji : Fine. Did you participate in the dance competition? Devraj : (giving information) Shivaji : Wow ! congratulations. Devraj : _ (expressing gratitude)
What is being tested is not grammar alone but appropriateness: can you say the right thing, in the right tone, to the right person?
Three fixed requirements
- The blank must perform exactly the function named in the bracket.
- It must fit the line before and the line after it.
- It must match the relationship: friends speak informally, a student to a principal formally.
[Exam Tip] — One mark per blank, so fill all three however unsure you are. A short, natural sentence scores better than a long, clever one.
The Functions and What to Say
| Function | Useful expressions |
|---|---|
| Greeting | Hi, Shivaji! · Hello, how are you? · Good morning, sir. |
| Responding to a greeting | Fine, thank you. · I am doing well, thanks. |
| Introducing | This is my friend Fatima. · Meet my classmate, Ravi. |
| Seeking information | Could you tell me when the results are out? · What time does the bus leave? |
| Giving information | Yes, I took part and won the first prize. · The camp begins at nine. |
| Requesting | Could you please lend me your notes? · Would you mind helping me? |
| Granting permission | Yes, certainly. · Of course you may. |
| Refusing politely | I am sorry, I cannot. · I am afraid that is not possible. |
| Inviting | Would you like to join us on Sunday? · Do come for the rally. |
| Accepting an invitation | I would love to. · Thank you, I will certainly come. |
| Apologising | I am sorry I am late. · Please forgive the delay. |
| Thanking | Thank you very much. · Thanks a lot for your help. |
| Responding to thanks | You are welcome. · It was my pleasure. |
| Congratulating | Congratulations on your success! · Well done! |
| Expressing surprise | Really? That is wonderful! · I can't believe it! |
| Expressing sympathy | I am sorry to hear that. · That is really sad. |
| Suggesting | Why don't we go by cycle? · Shall we start early? |
| Agreeing | That's a good idea. · I agree with you. |
| Disagreeing politely | I am afraid I don't agree. · I see your point, but… |
| Offering help | Shall I carry that for you? · Let me help you. |
| Wishing | All the best for the exam! · Happy journey! |
| Taking leave | See you tomorrow. · I must go now. Goodbye. |
[Exam Tip] — Learn two expressions for each function, one informal and one formal. Then the only decision in the exam is which of the two suits the people in the bracket.
Reading the Clues
Every blank is surrounded by clues. Use them in this order.
1. The bracketed context tells you the relationship and the place.
- [Two friends meet in the park] → informal: Hi, Hey, first names.
- [A student meets the principal] → formal: Good morning, sir, may I, thank you, sir.
2. The function in the bracket tells you the kind of sentence.
- Greeting and wishing are not questions.
- Seeking information must be a question.
- Giving information must be a statement that answers the question asked.
3. The line before tells you what you are answering.
- If the previous line asks Did you participate…?, your blank must answer yes or no and add the detail.
4. The line after proves whether your answer fits. This is the strongest clue of all.
- If the next line is Wow! Congratulations, then your information must be good news: you took part and you won.
- If the next line is I am sorry to hear that, your information must be bad news.
- If the next line is You are welcome, your blank must have been a thank you.
A worked blank
Shivaji : Fine. Did you participate in the dance competition? Devraj : __ (giving information) Shivaji : Wow ! congratulations.
Before: a yes-or-no question about the competition. Function: giving information. After: congratulations. So the answer must be a statement, positive, and worth congratulating:
Yes, I did. In fact, I won the first prize.
The 2025 Question, Solved
[Two friends meet in the park] Devraj : _ how are you? (Greeting) Shivaji : Fine. Did you participate in the dance competition? Devraj : (giving information) Shivaji : Wow ! congratulations. Devraj : _ (expressing gratitude)
A model answer
| Blank | Answer | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hello Shivaji, | A greeting between friends, and it runs straight into "how are you?" printed after the blank. |
| 2 | Yes, I did. I won the first prize. | It answers the yes-or-no question and gives news worth the congratulations that follow. |
| 3 | Thank you so much! | The natural reply to "Congratulations". |
Other answers that would also be accepted
| Blank | Alternatives |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hi Shivaji! · Hey Shivaji, · Good morning, Shivaji, |
| 2 | Yes, I took part and stood first. · Yes, and I won the first prize in the group dance. |
| 3 | Thanks a lot! · Thank you, that is very kind of you. |
Why blank 1 takes no capital problem. The printed words how are you? follow your blank, so write a greeting that ends in a comma or an exclamation mark: Hello Shivaji, or Hi! Then the line reads as one sentence.
Method and Common Mistakes
A method for the three marks
- Read the whole dialogue first, including the line in square brackets.
- Decide formal or informal, and stay in that register for all three blanks.
- For each blank, read the line before and the line after.
- Write one short sentence that performs the named function.
- Read the dialogue through once, aloud in your head. If it sounds like two people talking, it is right.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correction |
|---|---|
| Writing a question where the function says giving information | A statement is needed: Yes, I won the first prize. |
| Ignoring the line after the blank | If the next line congratulates you, the blank cannot be bad news. |
| Using formal English between friends | Hi Shivaji fits the park; Respected sir does not. |
| Using slang or SMS spelling | Hi is fine; hlo, thnx, u are not. |
| Writing three or four sentences in a blank | One sentence, sometimes two, is enough for one mark. |
| Repeating the printed words | Do not write how are you when it is already printed after the blank. |
| Leaving a blank empty | Each blank is a whole mark. |
| Answering in the wrong person | The blank is spoken by the named speaker, so write what that person would say. |
[Exam Tip] — The examiner reads the finished dialogue as a conversation. Before moving on, read your three sentences with the printed lines in between, in order. Anything that sounds odd on that read is losing a mark.