report verbs

Some verbs express the general meaning of what people say so we do not need to report exactly what they said.

• ‘I’ll bring my homework tomorrow, honestly, I will, really!’

• He promised to bring his homework the next day

• 'Well done! You've passed the exam!'

• She congratulated me on passing the exam.

Some verbs (e.g. check, convince, explain, imply, point out, suggest) express what effect someone wanted their words to have.

It is not easy to show this effect in direct speech.

• She implied that I ought to start working harder.

verb + person + that-clause

assure ‘I’ll defindely be there '

convince 'Of course it's right’

promise ‘I’ll do it’

remind 'Remember we start at 3.00'

Other verbs: inform, tell

verb + person + that-clause

assure ‘I’ll defintely be there '

She assured me (that) she would be there.

convince 'Of course it's right’

She convinced me (that) it was right

promise ‘I’ll do it’ He promised (him) (that) he would do it.

remind 'Remember we start at 3.00'

He reminded me (that) we started at 3.00

Other verbs: inform, tell

verb + that-clause

complain 'It's too expensive"

confess 'I stole the money’

or confess to doing something

suggest ‘Why don't you use a calculator?’

verb + that-clause

complain 'It's too expensive"

She complained (that) it was too expensive

confess 'I stole the money’

He confessed (that) he had stolen the money

or confess to doing something

He confessed to stealing the money

suggest ‘Why don't you use a calculator?’

He suggested (that) I used a calculator

Other verbs:

accept, add, admit, agree, announce, assure, boast, conclude, decide, deny, doubt, explain, imagine, imply, insist, mention, point out, predict, promise, protest, remark, repeat, threaten, whisper

verb + -ing

suggest 'Why don't you use a calculator?'

deny 'I didn't break the jar.'

Other verbs: admit, apologize for, mention, recommend, regret

verb + -ing

suggest 'Why don't you use a calculator?'

He suggested (my) using a calculator

deny 'I didn't break the jar.' He denied breaking the jar.

Other verbs: admit, apologize for, mention, recommend, regret

verb + object + preposition + ing

congratulate 'Well done, you've won.' He congratulated her on winning.

Other verbs: accuse someone of, blame someone for, thank someone for

We can also blame something on someone.

• 'The fire was your fault, Alan!" They blamed Alan for the fire

• They blamed the fire on Alan.

verb + to-infinitive

offer ‘I’ll help you. '

promise ‘I’ll bring it tomorrow '

refuse 'I won't sit downl'

agree Ok, I’ll pay (you) £300'

Other verbs: swear, threaten, volunteer

verb + to-infinitive

offer ‘I’ll help you. ' He offered to help her

promise ‘I’ll bring it tomorrow '

She promised to bring it the next day

refuse 'I won't sit downl'

He refused to sit down

agree Ok, I’ll pay (you) £300'

He agreed to pay (him) £300

Other verbs: swear, threaten, volunteer

verb + person + to-infinitive

advise 'I would (wouldn't) stop, if I were you.'

beg 'Please stop!'

remind 'Don't forget to lock the door.'

warn 'Don't touch that wire!'

Other verbs: challenge, command, convince (meaning persuade, encourage, expect, forbid, instruct, invite, order, permit, persuade, request, tell, warm

verb + person + to-infinitive

advise 'I would (wouldn't) stop, if I were you.'

She advised me (not) to stop.

beg 'Please stop!' He begged me to stop.

remind 'Don't forget to lock the door.'

She reminded him to lock the door.

warn 'Don't touch that wire!'

She warned me not to touch the wire.

Other verbs: challenge, command, convince (meaning persuade), encourage, expect, forbid, instruct, invite, order, permit, persuade, request, tell, warm

verb + person + to-infinitive + complement

believe 'He's over 27, I believe'.

Other verbs: believe, consider, presume, understand

verb + person + to-infinitive + complement

believe 'He's over 27, I believe'.

I believe him to be over 27.

Other verbs: believe, consider, presume, understand

verb + person + object

invite Would you like to come to dinner?’

offer 'Would you like some ice cream?'

verb + person + object

invite Would you like to come to dinner?’

He invited me to dinner.

offer 'Would you like some ice cream?'

He offered her some ice cream

other patterns

explain This is how you do it. '

agree with

'Yes, I think the same. '

greet 'Good morning. '

announce 'And now the names of the winners. '

other patterns

explain ‘This is how you do it.’

She explained how to do it.

agree with

‘Yes, I think the same.’

She agreed with him.

greet 'Good morning.' She greeted me.

announce 'And now the names of the winners. '

He announced the names of the winners

verb + whether / if

doubt 'I don't think he knows.'

wonder 'Am I right?’

verb + whether / if

doubt 'I don't think he knows.'

I doubt whether he knows.

wonder 'Am I right?’ She wondered whether she was right.

insist, demand, propose etc Verbs used to tell people what they should do, or to give

advice or orders, are often used with should, or subjunctive (without 3rd person -s) or unreal past.

This is a more formal use. • They insisted that he should hand over the documents

immediately • They insisted that he hand over the documents

immediately • They insisted that he handed over the documents

immediately Other verbs which can be followed by should or to-

infinitive: advise, instruct, order, persuade, recommend, remind, urge

Complete the text with one word in each gap.

The head teacher, Mrs Symes, congratulated me a___ winning the science competition, and told b ___ she was very pleased that I had worked so hard. I admitted c ___ I hadn't expected to win first prize, and that at one point I even regretted d ___ the competition. My brother had persuaded e ___ that I should have a try, and I doubted f ___ I could have won without his encouragement. Mrs Symes pointed g ___ that my project was supposed to be all my own work, and wondered h ___ perhaps my brother had helped me at all. She didn't want the organizers to accuse me i ___ cheating. I assured j ___ that the project was all my own work. My brother had offered k ___ find some articles for me on the Internet, but I had refused I ___ let him do it.

Answers

a on b me c that d entering e me f if / whether

g out h if / whether i of j her k to I to