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    Reporting Verbs and Verb Patterns

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    Vanja Đorđevic
    Reporting verbs are used to report what someone said in indirect speech. Common reporting verbs include say, tell, admit, agree, claim, explain, promise, suggest, and warn. Reporting verbs can be followed by a that-clause, an infinitive, a gerund, or a prepositional phrase plus a gerund to report statements, requests, promises, and other speech acts. Using a variety of reporting verbs makes reported speech more concise and clarifies the meaning and function of what was said.

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    Reporting Verbs and Verb Patterns

    Uploaded by

    Vanja Đorđevic
    354 views4 pages
    Reporting verbs are used to report what someone said in indirect speech. Common reporting verbs include say, tell, admit, agree, claim, explain, promise, suggest, and warn. Reporting verbs can be followed by a that-clause, an infinitive, a gerund, or a prepositional phrase plus a gerund to report statements, requests, promises, and other speech acts. Using a variety of reporting verbs makes reported speech more concise and clarifies the meaning and function of what was said.

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    Reporting verbs and verb patterns

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    Reporting verbs are used to report what someone said in indirect speech. Common reporting verbs include say, tell, admit, agree, claim, explain, promise, suggest, and warn. Reporting verbs can be followed by a that-clause, an infinitive, a gerund, or a prepositional phrase plus a gerund to report statements, requests, promises, and other speech acts. Using a variety of reporting verbs makes reported speech more concise and clarifies the meaning and function of what was said.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    354 views4 pages

    Reporting Verbs and Verb Patterns

    Uploaded by

    Vanja Đorđevic
    Reporting verbs are used to report what someone said in indirect speech. Common reporting verbs include say, tell, admit, agree, claim, explain, promise, suggest, and warn. Reporting verbs can be followed by a that-clause, an infinitive, a gerund, or a prepositional phrase plus a gerund to report statements, requests, promises, and other speech acts. Using a variety of reporting verbs makes reported speech more concise and clarifies the meaning and function of what was said.

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    Reporting verbs

     
      
    Form
    subject + reporting verb + (that) + clause
    She explained (that) she had been away at the time.

    subject + reporting verb + direct object + (that) + clause


    He assured me (that) there would be no delay

    subject + reporting verb + infinitive
    She refused to work on Sundays.

    subject + reporting verb + direct object + infinitive


    She reminded me to come to the meeting.

    Subject + reporting verb + gerund


    She suggested having the party at Peter's place.

    Subject + reporting verb + preposition + gerund


    She apologized for coming to the meeting unprepared.

    Subject + reporting verb + direct object + preposition + gerund


    She criticized him for being late.

     
    Use of reporting verbs
    Reporting verbs are used in reported speech
    The most common reporting verbs are say and tell. However, there are a number of other
    reporting verbs that can be used instead of say or tell to make more efficient (i.e. shorter)
    statements and questions.
    Consider this original statement in direct speech:
    'I'm sure that everything will be alright'

    If we reported the statement with say, we would get :


    He said that he was sure that everything would be alright.
    This is an acceptable statement in English, but rather long. However, the words I'm sure
    that... in this sentence can have the function of assuring someone. Therefore, we can use the
    reporting verb assure:
    He assured me that everything would be alright.
    This is a) shorter, and b) makes the function and meaning of the sentence absolutely clear.
     
    Common reporting verbs - say pattern
    The following common reporting verbs follow the same pattern as say
    i.e. verb + (that) + clause :

    admit
    advise*
    agree
    announce
    claim
    complain
    confirm
    declare
    explain
    insist
    mention
    promise*
    propose
    say
    suggest
    warn*

    * also used with other patterns - see below

    Common reporting verbs - tell pattern


    The following common verbs follow the same pattern as tell
    i.e. verb + direct object + (that) + clause :

    advise
    assure
    convince
    inform
    notify
    persuade
    promise
    reassure
    remind
    tell
    warn
     

    Reporting actions : requests, promises etc


    These are usually reported using an infinitive structure:

    Reporting verbs followed by an infinitive (intransitive verbs)


    Examples:
    They agreed to pay the legal costs.
    He promised to come as soon as possible.
    Common reporting verbs that follow this pattern are:
    agree
    ask
    claim
    demand
    offer
    promise
    propose
    refuse
    threaten
    Some verbs can be followed by an object and infinitive :

    Reporting verbs followed by a direct object + infinitive (transitive verbs)


    Examples:
    He reminded me to call Kath.
    She warned them not to mention it.
    Common reporting verbs that follow this pattern are :
    advise
    ask
    beg
    convince
    encourage
    forbid
    instruct
    invite
    order
    persuade
    remind
    tell
    urge
    warn (not to)
     
    Reporting verbs followed by a gerund
    Some reporting verbs are followed by a gerund, not an infinitive :
    Direct speech : 'Why don't we have the party at Peter's place?'
    Reported speech : She suggested having the party at Peter's place.

    Common reporting verbs that can be followed by a gerund are:


    admit
    deny
    mention
    proposed
    report
    suggest

    NB All of these reporting verbs can also use a verb + that + clause structure (see above).
    Compare:
    He admitted that he had taken the money.
    He admitted taking the money.
    She proposed setting up a committee.
    She proposed that we set up a committee.
    He mentioned seeing Martin.
    He mentioned that he had seen Martin
    The sentences in each pair have the same meaning.
    Reporting verbs followed by a preposition + gerund
    Common reporting verbs that can be followed by a preposition + gerund are:
    apologise for
    insist on
    object to
    confess to

    Reporting verbs followed by object + preposition + gerund


    Common reporting verbs that can be followed by object + preposition + gerund are:
    criticize somebody for
    congratulate somebody on
    accuse somebody of
    warn somebody against

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