Reporting Verbs

This is another lesson on reported speech, which we saw in unit 8A in GEP 8. In that lesson, we learned that you can choose to use reported speech to say what someone else has said instead of directly quoting them. For example:

Direct Quote: Mark said, “I’m coming to the party.”

Reported Speech: Mark said he was coming to the party.

However, in reported speech, we can also use verbs that are more specific than “said.” In this example, would could say:

Mark agreed to come to the party.

Step 1:

Each of these verbs means something specific, so for this lesson, you first need to know what each of them means.

Agree: To have the same idea or opinion as someone else.

Offer: To give or present something to someone, usually in a helpful or generous way.

Refuse: To say no to a request or offer, or to decline to do something that has been asked.

Promise: To make a commitment or assurance to do something, usually in the future.

Threaten: To use words or actions to create fear in someone, often with the intention of making them do something.

Advise: To give suggestions or recommendations to someone based on your knowledge or experience.

Persuade: To convince or influence someone to believe or do something, often by presenting convincing arguments or reasons.

Ask: To request information or action from someone.

Remind: To help someone remember something that they may have forgotten or overlooked.

Convince: To make someone believe or do something by providing strong arguments or evidence.

Tell: To communicate or give information to someone.

Encourage: To inspire or motivate someone to do something or to continue with a certain course of action.

Warn: To advise or alert someone about potential danger or harm.

Invite: To ask or request someone to come to a specific place or event, or to participate in an activity.

Apologize: To express regret or remorse for something that has been said or done.

Insist: To demand or require something to be done or to be believed with strong conviction.

Accuse: To say or suggest that someone has done something wrong or illegal.

Recommend: To suggest or propose something as a good idea or option.

Admit: To confess or acknowledge something that has been done or the truth of a situation.

Regret: To feel sorry or sad about something that has happened or been done.

Blame: To assign responsibility for a mistake or problem to someone else.

Suggest: To offer an idea or opinion for someone to consider or think about.

Deny: To say or declare that something is not true or did not happen.

Step 2:

When used as reporting verbs, these verbs are used in three different ways.

Type 1: Subject + Verb + Infinitive + Rest of Sentence

Agree | offer | refuse | promise | threaten

Jack threatened to tell the teacher I was cheating.

My mom promised to make noodles for dinner.

Type 2: Subject + Verb + Person + Infinitive + Rest of Sentence

My dad encouraged me to start playing football.

The teacher advised our class to study for the exam.

Type 3: Subject + Verb + Gerund + Rest of Sentence

Reaksa denied cheating on the exam.

Sally recommended eating at the Chinese restaurant.

NOTE: Some of the verbs – apologize, accuse, and blame – require a person like in type 2, and need to use some kind of preposition beforehand. For example:

Ben apologized to Kim for being mean.

The old lady accused me of hitting her car.

Jason blamed his brother for breaking his motorbike.

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