GR VOC Reporting Verbs

Reported Speech1
A large number of reporting verbs are functional. They indicate the purpose of the original speech:
You should stop smoking / He advised her to stop smoking.

If you do that again, Ill call the police / He threatened to call the police.
The lawyer advised me to inform the judge.
Each reporting verb has its own pattern:
+ clause intransitive She apologized. apologise, agree, refuse

I agree.
+( that ) clause He admitted (that) accept, acknowledge, add, admit, announce, answer, argue,
he had hacked into assert, assume, believe, boast, comment, complain, concede,
the system. conclude, confers, decide, declare, deny, doubt, exclaim,
expect, explain, feel, foresee, imagine, imply, insist, know,
mention, notice observe, point out, predict, protest,
recommend, remark, repeat, report, respond reveal, say, state,
suggest suppose, vow, whisper
+ that clause She answered that answer, continue, propose, reply, shout
it would be all right.
object + that clause She reassured me advise, assure, inform, reassure, remind, tell, warn
that I would arrive
on time
1 My Grammar Lab Advanced , Mark Foley and Diane Hall, Pearson 2012
+ to +to infinitive (only) They offered to demand, guarantee, offer, refuse, threaten, volunteer, vow
infinitive collect the
children.
+ to infinitive (with She asked (me) to ask (somebody), beg (somebody), expect (somebody), want
optional object) use the car. (somebody)
+ to infinitive AND I advised him not advise, allow, challenge, command, compel, encourage, forbid,
object to say anything. force, implore, instruct, invite, order, permit, persuade, remind,
request, tell, urge, warn
object (+ to be / have / I consider Nadal acknowledge, assume, believe, consider, declare, expect, feel,
represent) AND + (to be) the best find, presume, suppose, think, understand
complement tennis player ever.
+ -ing + -ing form (only) He denied doing it. admit, apologise for, decide on, deny, mention, recommend,
form regret, report, suggest
object + prep + -ing They accused me accuse somebody of, blame somebody for, congratulate
form of forging the somebody on, thank somebody for
tickets
Some verbs have two or more patterns, sometimes
with little or no change in meaning:
advise someone to do something:

Her doctor advised her to rest.
Students are advised to read all the questions carefully.
advise someone against something:
Police are advising the publicagainst travelling in the fog.
advise someone that:
The bank advised us that we should increaseour insurance cover.
advise that:
Experts advise that sunscreen should be reapplied on anhourly basis.
strongly advise:
I strongly advise you to reject the offer.
More examples:
I agree that this is a difficult task, but I agreed to do it, and I wont back
off.
'I don't know,' she answered truthfully.

What's the matter? Answer me!
I could only answer that I'd seen them leaving together
propose doing
something: I propose going to an early film and havingdinner afterwards.
propose that: She proposed that we see a marriage counsellor.
promise to do something:
Peter wished he'd never promised to help them.
promise someone (that):
Promise me you'll be home before dark.
We always promised ourselves that we'd visit Hawaii one day.
suggest (that):
I suggest we have dinner first, and then watch the film.
suggest doing something:
If there is a mechanical problem, we
suggest contacting the manufacturer directly.
With verbs introducing summaries, reports, questions or problems,
we can also use the word if or a wh-word (who, what, which, why)
Reporting verbs with wh- and if clauses
This pattern is typical of verbs introducing summaries, reports, questions or

problems:
She explained what we had to do.

He asked if I was ready
I didnt know what to do.
These verbs typically have the pattern:
N + V + wh- + clause:
She wondered where she was.
or
N + V + if + clause:
Ken asked if we wanted to go.
- See more at: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-

grammar/clause-phrase-and-sentence/verb-patterns/reporting-verbs-that-wh-
and-if-clauses#sthash.YO1N8WWr.dpuf
Reporting Verbs:
STRONG
NEUTRAL COUNTERARGUMENT SUGGESTION
ARGUMENT CRITICISM
argue state refute the claim suggest criticize

condem
claim report argue against recommend
n
denounc
contend explain take issue put forward
e
maintain discuss differ urge decry
insist illustrate dissent advocate
posit
Homework:
Find out the pattern of each of the reporting verbs above.

GR VOC Reporting Verbs

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Reported Speech1

You should stop smoking / He advised her to stop smoking.

Each reporting verb has its own pattern:

+ clause intransitive She apologized. apologise, agree, refuse

advise someone to do something:

'I don't know,' she answered truthfully.

Reporting verbs with wh- and if clauses

This pattern is typical of verbs introducing summaries, reports, questions or

She explained what we had to do.

These verbs typically have the pattern:

- See more at: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-

argue state refute the claim suggest criticize

Find out the pattern of each of the reporting verbs above.

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