The wife of a wealthy man who recently moved to Lanfield

Mrs. Harding's sister-in-law — Mr. Harding's sister

What did Mary say about Mrs. Harding's children that embarrassed her?

She claimed Mrs. Harding had children when Mrs. Harding said she had none

What did Mary say at the very end when the visitors were leaving?

Oh must you stay? Can't you go?

What kind of person does Mrs. Shaw want Mary to be during the visit?

Kind pleasing and socially polished

What advice did Mrs. Shaw give Mary about talking to guests?

Say things that please people and be kind

What does Mrs. Shaw mean when she says Mary 'may not say the right thing'?

Mary often speaks without thinking and says things that embarrass others

Why does Mary make so many mistakes during the visit?

She speaks without thinking and makes offensive remarks about people who turn out to be connected to the visitors

What is the irony in the play 'Say the Right Thing'?

Mary eventually learns to say the right thing

Mary practices what to say but still says all the wrong things

How does Mary's mistake about Mrs. Harding's children set the tone for the rest of the play?

It establishes Mary's pattern of making embarrassing remarks that turn out to hurt the very people she is speaking to

What does Mary's comment about Mr. Best reveal about her character?

She is tactless and makes sweeping judgements without knowing who she is talking to

What does the play suggest about social conversation?

One should always say exactly what they think

Social conversations require tact kindness and awareness of one's audience

Guests should be treated formally

Truth is always the best policy in conversation

Why does Mrs. Shaw look at Mary when no one is speaking?

She is signalling Mary to say something to break the silence as per her earlier instructions

She wants Mary to leave the room

What does Mary mean when she says she has 'often done harder things than this'?

She is over-confident and underestimates the social skill required for such interactions

How does Mrs. Shaw react each time Mary says something wrong?

She tries to cover Mary's mistakes with quick and diplomatic remarks

How does the playwright use dramatic irony in this play?

The audience does not know what will happen

The audience knows that Mrs. Lee is Mr. Harding's sister before Mary speaks about bankers — creating tension and humour that Mary herself is unaware of

What does the play reveal about the difference between knowing what to say and being able to say it?

Mary knows the rules of polite conversation but cannot apply them in practice — showing a gap between knowledge and social intelligence

Social intelligence cannot be learned

Analyse the significance of the play's title 'Say the Right Thing'.

The title is ironic — Mary never does say the right thing despite being taught and trying to.

The title is straightforward advice

The title has no relation to the play

What does Mrs. Shaw's behaviour throughout the play reveal about her character?

She is socially skilled and genuinely cares about making a good impression — she works hard to repair the damage Mary causes

Compare Mary's personality to her mother's. How are they different?

Mrs. Shaw is tactful and strategic while Mary is honest but socially unaware — together they represent the tension between truthfulness and social grace

What does the play suggest about the rules of polite society?

They are natural and easy to follow

Social rules require constant self-monitoring awareness of others and the ability to suppress honest but hurtful opinions

Only wealthy people follow these rules

The play ends on a comic note but also carries a serious message. What is that message?

Social communication is a skill that must be practiced — careless speech can damage relationships regardless of good intentions

Guests are always too sensitive

How does the setting of a formal social visit help the playwright explore themes of communication and social class?

A formal visit raises the stakes of conversation — mistakes are more visible and consequences are higher — allowing the playwright to show how social class influences expectations of behaviour and speech

The setting shows where the characters live

NCERT Solutions Class 7 English Chapter 2.3 – Say the Right Thing

Name: Say the Right Thing – Class 7 English
Uploaded: 2026-07-23T04:31:11+00:00
Description: Mary Shaw learns the importance of saying the right things while talking to guests. Through her conversation, she realizes that kindness, attention, and polite words make social interactions smoother.

Class 7 English

Last Updated: 23 July 2026

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Chapter Introduction

Mary Shaw learns the importance of saying the right things while talking to guests. Through her conversation, she realizes that kindness, attention, and polite words make social interactions smoother.

हिंदी में (Hindi)

मैरी शॉ ने मेहमानों से बात करते समय सही बातें कहने का महत्व सीखा। बातचीत के दौरान उन्हें एहसास हुआ कि दयालुता, ध्यान और शिष्ट शब्द सामाजिक संबंधों को सरल और सुखद बनाते हैं।

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Important Points

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Practice MCQ Questions (28 questions)

Q1. Who is the main character in 'Say the Right Thing'?

Q2. Who were the visitors coming to the Shaw house?

Q3. Who is Mrs. Harding?

Q4. Who is Mrs. Lee?

Q5. Why did Mrs. Shaw want to know Mrs. Harding?

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Tough Words (Glossary)

Wealthy

Meaning: Having a lot of money or property

अर्थ: धनी/समृद्ध

"The wealthy man donated to the school."

Polite

Meaning: Having good manners

अर्थ: विनम्र

"She was polite to the guests."

Companionship

Meaning: The state of being with someone

अर्थ: साथीपन

"Dogs provide good companionship."

Kindness

Meaning: Being friendly and generous

अर्थ: दयालुता

"Her kindness won everyone’s heart."

Gladly

Meaning: With pleasure and happiness

अर्थ: खुशी-खुशी

"He gladly accepted the prize."

Sorry

Meaning: Feeling sadness or regret

अर्थ: क्षमा/अफसोस

"I am sorry for the mistake."

Remember

Meaning: To keep in mind or recall

अर्थ: याद रखना

"Remember to bring your book tomorrow."

Wealth

Meaning: Great amount of money or possessions

अर्थ: धन/सम्पत्ति

"The king’s wealth was famous."

Quietly

Meaning: In a silent and calm way

अर्थ: धीरे से/शांतिपूर्वक

"She quietly left the room."

Banker

Meaning: A person working in or owning a bank

अर्थ: बैंकर

"The banker approved the loan."

Complain

Meaning: To say you are unhappy about something

अर्थ: शिकायत करना

"He always complains about the food."

Patiently

Meaning: Calmly without complaining

अर्थ: धैर्यपूर्वक

"She waited patiently for her turn."

Talkative

Meaning: Fond of talking a lot

अर्थ: बातूनी

"The talkative boy made everyone laugh."

Angry

Meaning: Feeling strong dislike or annoyance

अर्थ: गुस्सा

"He was angry at the delay."

Practise

Meaning: To do something regularly to get better

अर्थ: अभ्यास करना

"She practises the piano every day."

Dirty

Meaning: Not clean

अर्थ: गंदा

"The clothes were dirty after playing."

Owner

Meaning: A person who possesses something

अर्थ: मालिक

"The dog’s owner fed it well."

Regret

Meaning: A feeling of sadness over something wrong

अर्थ: पछतावा

"He felt regret about his rude words."

Harder

Meaning: More difficult

अर्थ: अधिक कठिन

"This exam is harder than the last one."

Unhappy

Meaning: Not happy; sad

अर्थ: दुखी

"She looked unhappy with the result."

Understand

Meaning: To know the meaning of something

अर्थ: समझना

"I can understand your problem."

Laugh

Meaning: To make sounds showing happiness

अर्थ: हँसना

"The children laugh at the joke."

Nicely

Meaning: In a pleasant and good way

अर्थ: अच्छे से

"She spoke nicely to everyone."

Mistake

Meaning: Something wrong done by accident

अर्थ: गलती

"He made a mistake in the test."

Upset

Meaning: Worried, unhappy, or angry

अर्थ: परेशान

"She was upset after the argument."

Neighbour

Meaning: A person living near you

अर्थ: पड़ोसी

"Our neighbour is very helpful."

Dress

Meaning: A piece of clothing for women or girls

अर्थ: पोशाक

"She wore a new dress to the party."

Stay

Meaning: To remain in a place

अर्थ: रहना

"We will stay at the hotel tonight."

Sorry face

Meaning: A face showing regret or sadness

अर्थ: उदास चेहरा

"She had a sorry face after the mistake."

Invitation

Meaning: A request to join an event or visit

अर्थ: निमंत्रण

"We got an invitation to the wedding."

NCERT Solutions Class 7 English Chapter 2.3 – Say the Right Thing

Chapter Introduction

Watch Video Lecture

Important Points

Practice MCQ Questions (28 questions)

Q1. Who is the main character in 'Say the Right Thing'?

Q2. Who were the visitors coming to the Shaw house?

Q3. Who is Mrs. Harding?

Q4. Who is Mrs. Lee?

Q5. Why did Mrs. Shaw want to know Mrs. Harding?

Q6. What did Mary say about Mrs. Harding's children that embarrassed her?

Q7. What did Mary say about bankers that was insulting?

Q8. Whose dog was Towzer?

Q9. What did Mary say at the very end when the visitors were leaving?

Q10. What kind of person does Mrs. Shaw want Mary to be during the visit?

Q11. What advice did Mrs. Shaw give Mary about talking to guests?

Q12. What does Mrs. Shaw mean when she says Mary 'may not say the right thing'?

Q13. Why does Mary make so many mistakes during the visit?

Q14. What is the irony in the play 'Say the Right Thing'?

Q15. How does Mary's mistake about Mrs. Harding's children set the tone for the rest of the play?

Q16. What does Mary's comment about Mr. Best reveal about her character?

Q17. What does the play suggest about social conversation?

Q18. Why does Mrs. Shaw look at Mary when no one is speaking?

Q19. What does Mary mean when she says she has 'often done harder things than this'?

Q20. How does Mrs. Shaw react each time Mary says something wrong?

Q21. How does the playwright use dramatic irony in this play?

Q22. What does the play reveal about the difference between knowing what to say and being able to say it?

Q23. Analyse the significance of the play's title 'Say the Right Thing'.

Q24. What does Mrs. Shaw's behaviour throughout the play reveal about her character?

Q25. Compare Mary's personality to her mother's. How are they different?

Q26. What does the play suggest about the rules of polite society?

Q27. The play ends on a comic note but also carries a serious message. What is that message?

Q28. How does the setting of a formal social visit help the playwright explore themes of communication and social class?