Decide
Promise
Demand
Agree
Threaten
Hope
In the table below, we’ve listed out the reporting verbs in groups based on their general meanings. We have also indicated the relative “strength” of each verb. For example, if I imply (suggest/hint, weak) that you are wrong, this is very different from if I assert (state/say, strong) that you are wrong. Remember that English is seldom “black vs. white” – there are often several degrees of meaning.
Say | Assert that | Mention smth/that State that Point out smth/that Add smth/that Outline smth/that Describe smth/how | Note smth/that Comment on smth/that |
Suggest | Warn that Affirm that | Propose smth/that Hypothesise that Theorise that | Imply that Put forward smth |
Show | Prove smth/that Reveal smth/that Show smth/that | Demonstrate smth/that Establish smth/that | Hint at smth Allude to smth |
Persuade | Convince smbd | ||
Explain | Identify smth Illustrate smth/how Clarify smth | ||
Examine | Scrutinise smth | Investigate smth Study smth | Inquire into smth/whether |
Agree | Support smth Concur that | Acknowledge smth/that Recognise smth/that Echo smth | Concede smth |
Disagree | Challenge smth Refute smth Reject smth Oppose smth Object to smth Deny smth Rebuff smth | Doubt smth/whether | Question smth/whether |
Believe | Insist on smth/that Maintain that | Hold smth/that Profess that Subscribe to smth | Assume that |
Understanding what the verbs mean is generally the easiest step. You see a new word, you learn what the word means in your own language and you learn how to pronounce it in English. In actual fact, you can only really say you’ve learnt a word when you also know how to accurately use it in a sentence.
Let’s return to our example with Charlotte’s birthday cake:
“It’s my birthday next weekend. Make a birthday cake for me,” Charlotte said to her mum ( direct speech)
Easy, right? Now let’s consider that there are many other ways that Charlotte could say this in English. Depending on what she said and how she said it, you might need to use a different reporting verb, not just say or tell . For example:
In these sentences, there are three different verbs (say, hint, refuse). They all mean “no” but say is a neutral verb, hint is a weak verb, and refuse is much stronger .
Learning words in English is like collecting bricks to build a house. It’s not enough just to get the bricks. You also need to learn how to arrange them correctly so that your house is solid! You can’t build a good house from just a couple of bricks (e.g. say and tell). That’s why you need to learn more vocabulary – like reporting verbs. We don’t want the Big Bad Wolf to blow your house down!
Let’s take a look at HOW to use reporting verbs in real sentences. Below, we have divided the verbs into their different grammar structures so they are easier for you to learn.
Verbs: Refuse, decide, promise, demand, agree, threaten, plead with Examples:
Verbs : remind, ask, beg, warn , order, encourage, persuade, advise, urge, agree Examples :
Verbs: Deny, suggest, recommend, report, propose, admit
These verbs can be used with +ing or with that , but it’s generally better to be concise and use the +ing verb. Short and sweet! Examples :
Verbs: Blame smbd for, accuse smbd of, insist on, apologise for, complain about, confess to, forbid smbd from, agree to, think about Examples :
The reporting verbs we use in academic writing also follow specific grammatical patterns. Again, it is important to know whether the verb needs +ing, the infinitive , or that after it.
Verbs: Point out, find, observe , state, agree, believe, assert, claim, contend, explain, guess, assert, imply, reason, prove, note, report, reveal.
Verbs: Develop, study, focus on, acknowledge, doubt, contribute to, echo, subscribe to, question, disapprove of, dispute, reject, discuss, investigate, illustrate, present, outline, put forward, consider, support, emphasise, challenge, analyse, discard, identify, explore, propose, highlight, stress. Examples:
In academic writing, reporting verbs are used when you want to refer to what another person has said. You do this to strengthen your own argument and to show that other academics think the same as you.
It would be easy to just learn the verb “to state”, and use this all the time. However, using a range of other verbs can allow you to express your opinion about the author’s idea more precisely. For example, “to state” is quite neutral , but “to claim” implies that there is no proof behind what the author is saying.
You can use both the past and the present tense in academic writing.
If you are talking about recent research, use the present. This makes a connection between past research and now, which adds weight to your argument.
If you are talking about how research was conducted, you will need to use the past simple (either active or passive voice).
Avoid these common mistakes!
Which of these sentences are right and which are wrong? Choose correct or incorrect.
Choose the correct verb to complete the sentences.
Exercise 1:
Exercise 2:
Exercise 3:
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It’s is a short form (contraction) of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’. The apostrophe replaces the missing letters. E.g. It’s (it is) cold outside . Its is a possessive pronoun (like ours or hers ) for nouns without gender. We never use an apostrophe with a possessive pronoun. E.g. The dog is in its bed . Both words sound the same.
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Candace Osmond
Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.
Do you recall telling a friend what someone else said? You probably used a reporting verb in your story. What is a reporting verb? Good question and I’ve got the answer for you!
I use reporting verbs like say, tell, and state when talking about what other people have said.
But reporting verbs can be challenging because of the subtle shades of meaning and structure of sentences. I’ll teach you the common usage of reporting verbs and the meaning of strong, neutral, and weak reporting verbs.
A reporting verb in academic writing is used to talk about or report someone else’s actions, works, or activities. Its usage is essential when you need to comment on someone’s research, agree or disagree with their arguments, and evaluate their claims.
Consider this example to see how these verbs are used.
In the second sentence, the reporting verb said is used to report that the students want Science.
Here’s another example of how to report indirect questions.
The reporting verb used is asked because the direct speech uses real questions.
Other examples of reporting verbs include describe, show, reveal, note, indicate, report, and assume. Some informal verbs like come up with and guess are not recommended in formal writing.
Reporting verbs follow specific patterns for their sentence structure. For instance, say uses the basic verb pattern:
Here are some examples of usage of the reporting verb say.
Another common reporting verb is tell. The correct verb form is:
Here’s an example of the grammar usage of tell.
Some reporting verbs like agree and offer only use the verb infinitive instead of the verb object infinitive pattern. For example:
Accuse and congratulate follow the verb object preposition gerund pattern. For example:
This example shows a change in the original verb form.
The reported speech changes to the use of would. A simple future tense verb in direct speech uses this modal verb for indirect speech.
Remember to use a singular verb with an -s ending if the subject is singular and a plural verb if the subject is plural. For example:
There is a wide range of reporting verbs used for different purposes. Below is a reporting verb list used for suggestions.
This list shows examples of reporting verbsthat show persuasion.
Here’s a list of academic reporting verbs.
Some verbs are stronger in their functions, while others are weaker. Let’s look at how strong and weak reporting verbs differ.
Both assume and insist have similar definitions. But there are differences in meaning in terms of strength. The verb assume is weaker compared to insist. However, English is not black or white but a spectrum showing degrees of meaning.
Use strong reporting verbs for stronger arguments and claims. Here are some strong reporting verb examples.
Here are some examples of strong reporting verbs in sentences.
A neutral reporting verb says what another person describes, refers to, or discusses. The table below lists some neutral reporting verbs.
Here are some sentences that use neutral reporting verbs.
Weak reporting verbs suggest much weaker functions. Check out this weak verbs list.
Here are sentence examples that use weak reporting verbs.
The grammar of reporting verbs is easier than you think. Use this type of verb when reporting or discussing what another person said.
I hope my guide helped you understand the difference in meaning between strong and weak reporting verbs and their correct sentence structure. Hopefully, it also allowed you to construct any normal sentence with this type of verb.
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In previous lessons, you’ve learned how to do reported speech and reported questions/commands – now here are some verbs you can use to do the reporting! Pay special attention to the grammatical structure of how each one is used, and make sure to avoid the common errors.
Say + (that).
Using the word “that” is optional after “say”:
Avoid this common error: Bob said me that he was happy.
After the word “tell,” we must always have a person:
We use “tell someone to” for giving an order/command:
We use “ask someone if/whether” for yes/no questions:
For all other questions, use this structure:
Avoid this common error: They asked to the police officer…
We use “ask someone to” for requesting action from the other person:
Recommend + ing / recommend + that.
Avoid this common error: He suggested me to take an early train.
We “warn” people about potentially dangerous things:
We use the verb “advise” for giving advice. “Advise” is pronounced with a Z sound, and “advice” is pronouned with an S sound.
We usually use the word “encourage” for suggesting positive things.
Admit + that.
If you “admit” something, it means you acknowledge a mistake or an unpleasant fact.
The word “argue” can mean to try to persuade other people that your opinion is correct – as in the first example – or it can mean to have an angry verbal conflict – as in the second example.
Avoid this common error: I’m agree. The correct sentence is “I agree” (more common) or “I’m in agreement” (more formal).
We use the verb “claim” to describe things we state are true… but other people might doubt that we are telling the truth.
The verb “complain” means to say something negative because you are annoyed/disappointed about it.
If you “deny” something, it means you say it is NOT true.
The verb “insist” means to strongly say something is true, or strongly say you will do something, despite other people trying to contradict you.
The verb “swear” means to say something with extremely strong certainty.
The verb “threaten” means to say you will do something bad to another person.
Explain + that explain + noun + to someone explain + question word.
Avoid this common error: She explained me … / I explained him … – we never have a person immediately after the verb “explain.”
Avoid this common error: She replied me that… – we never have a person immediately after the verb “reply”
The verb “mention” means to say something quickly, or to say something that is not so important to the main topic.
Command + someone + to.
The verb “forbid” means to prohibit someone from doing something.
Boast + that.
The verb “boast” means to arrogantly say good things about yourself or your accomplishments.
The verb “propose” can be used for making suggestions. It is a little more formal.
When we “reveal” something, we say something that was previously a secret, or information that is sensitive or not very well-known.
If you “guarantee” that something is the case, it means you promise that it is true.
Avoid this common error: She remembered me to go…
Learn more: State verbs and action verbs
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Reported speech is a very common aspect of the English language. You use it nearly every day, both in conversations and in writing. This reference covers key sections about reported speech, including what it is, examples, rules, and verb tense changes. You’ll also learn about modal verbs, changes in time and place, and different reporting verbs.
Reported speech is simply when you tell somebody what someone else said. You can do this in your writing, or in speech. Reported speech is very different from direct speech , which is when you show what somebody said in the exact way that they said it . In reported speech though, you do not need to quote somebody directly.
Instead, you use a reporting verb, such as ‘say’ or ‘ask’. These reporting verbs are used to report the speech to someone else. There are many different reporting verbs that can be used.
In short, reported speech is the linguistic technique that you use to tell somebody what someone else’s direct speech was. In reported speech though, you may need to make certain changes to the grammar to make the sentence make sense. Some examples below highlight what needs to be changed.
When using reported speech, you are usually talking about the past. The verbs, therefore, usually have to be in the past too.
For example :
Another example :
Table of Changes :
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
I am | He said he was |
I have | She said she had |
I will | They said they would |
Verb tense changes in reported speech.
When the reporting verb is in the present tense, only small changes are needed.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, you need to change the tense of both the reporting verb and the main verb.
The tenses generally move backward as follows:
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
Past Simple | |
Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
Past Perfect | |
Past Simple | Past Perfect |
Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
Past Perfect | Past Perfect (remains unchanged) |
For sentences about the future, you also need to change the future verbs.
Here are the changes for future tenses:
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
Will | Would |
Will be | Would be |
Will have | Would have |
Will have been | Would have been |
Modal verbs also change when used in reported speech.
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
Can | Could |
Could | Could (unchanged) |
Have to | Had to |
Must | Must/Had to |
May | Might |
Might | Might (unchanged) |
Should | Should (unchanged) |
Some modal verbs do not need to change tense because they fit naturally.
Here are both correct and incorrect examples of reported speech for clarity:
To correct these:
Changes in time and place in reported speech.
References to time and place often need to change when you use indirect speech. Here is a useful guide to these changes:
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
---|---|
Now | Then |
Today | That day |
Here | There |
This | That |
Tomorrow | The following day/ The next day |
Next week | The following week/ The week after |
Yesterday | The previous day/ The day before |
Last week | The previous week/ The week before |
Ago | Previously/ Before |
Tonight | That night |
In some cases, verb tenses do not change when you report speech indirectly. Here are the key instances:
Reporting verbs are crucial in indirect speech. Here is a list categorized by their usage:
When converting questions from direct to indirect speech, you follow rules similar to those for statements. Verbs used include inquire, wonder, want to know, ask.
Commands and requests in Indirect Speech are formed using the to-infinitive and not to-infinitive . Common reporting verbs include order, shout, demand, warn, beg, command, tell, insist, beseech , threaten, implore, ask, propose, forbid.
Pronoun and tense changes are needed when shifting from direct to indirect speech.
Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.
Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:
Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”
In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.
Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight .
In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised .
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:
“I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)
Mark apologised . (indirect: report of a speech act)
In a similar way, we can report what people wrote or thought:
‘I will love you forever,’ he wrote, and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (direct report of what someone wrote)
He wrote that he would love her forever , and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (indirect report of what someone wrote)
I need a new direction in life , she thought. (direct report of someone’s thoughts)
She thought that she needed a new direction in life . (indirect report of someone’s thoughts)
Reported speech: direct speech
Reported speech: indirect speech
Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout , usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.
reporting clause | reported clause |
, | |
, | |
me |
Direct speech.
In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double (“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:
“ I couldn’t sleep last night, ” he said.
Rita said, ‘ I don’t need you any more. ’
If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark, not a comma:
‘Is there a reason for this ? ’ she asked.
“I hate you ! ” he shouted.
We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause when the reporting clause is first:
The officer replied: ‘It is not possible to see the General. He’s busy.’
Punctuation
In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:
She told me they had left her without any money.
Not: She told me, they had left her without any money .
Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.
We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and exclamations:
He asked me why I was so upset.
Not: He asked me why I was so upset?
Say and tell.
We can use say and tell to report statements in direct speech, but say is more common. We don’t always mention the person being spoken to with say , but if we do mention them, we use a prepositional phrase with to ( to me, to Lorna ):
‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow,’ she said .
‘Try to stay calm,’ she said to us in a low voice.
Not: ‘Try to stay calm,’ she said us in a low voice .
With tell , we always mention the person being spoken to; we use an indirect object (underlined):
‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told them .
Not: ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told .
In indirect speech, say and tell are both common as reporting verbs. We don’t use an indirect object with say , but we always use an indirect object (underlined) with tell :
He said he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He said me he was moving to New Zealand .
He told me he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He told he was moving to New Zealand .
We use say , but not tell , to report questions:
‘Are you going now?’ she said .
Not: ‘Are you going now?’ she told me .
We use say , not tell , to report greetings, congratulations and other wishes:
‘Happy birthday!’ she said .
Not: Happy birthday!’ she told me .
Everyone said good luck to me as I went into the interview.
Not: Everyone told me good luck …
Say or tell ?
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The reporting verbs in this list are more common in indirect reports, in both speaking and writing:
Simon admitted that he had forgotten to email Andrea.
Louis always maintains that there is royal blood in his family.
The builder pointed out that the roof was in very poor condition.
Most of the verbs in the list are used in direct speech reports in written texts such as novels and newspaper reports. In ordinary conversation, we don’t use them in direct speech. The reporting clause usually comes second, but can sometimes come first:
‘Who is that person?’ she asked .
‘It was my fault,’ he confessed .
‘There is no cause for alarm,’ the Minister insisted .
Verb patterns: verb + that -clause
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Reported speech
In the page about reported speech, we talked about how to change direct speech ("I love coffee") into reported speech (Johnna said that she loved coffee), using the reporting verbs 'say', 'tell' and 'ask'. However, we can also use many other verbs to report what someone said, like 'promise', 'warn', 'advise' and 'recommend'.
Some of these verbs look a bit more complicated to use than 'say' and 'tell', but it's just a question of getting to know the verb patterns (or verb structures).
(As I'm sure you know, we can often choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. The meaning is exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)
Let's look first at the verbs we've already talked about. The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is:
say + (that) + clause
(The direct speech for this is "I've already eaten".)
On the other hand, with 'tell' we need to use an object, a person who we tell the information to. tell + someone + (that) + clause
(The direct speech for this is "I've seen the new film".)
When we are reporting orders, we can also use another pattern with 'tell':
tell + someone + to + infinitive
We use 'ask' to report questions or requests. For questions we use the pattern:
ask + someone + if / question word + clause
For requests we use the pattern:
ask + someone + to + infinitive
(Remember, the first two examples with 'ask' are no longer real questions, so we use the normal sentence word order. We don't use inversion. We say 'she asked them where the station was', NOT 'she asked them where was the station' . You can read more about this on the lessons about indirect questions and reported speech.)
Other reporting verbs follow a variety of patterns. There aren't any rules about which verbs follow which patterns. You need to learn each one.
(= Give someone advice. Notice the different spelling for the verb and the noun.)
Advise + someone + to + infinitive
Advise + (that) + clause
Advise + against + verb-ing
Agree + to + infinitive
Agree + (that) + clause
6: APOLOGISE
Apologise + (to + someone) + for + verb-ing
Apologise (+ to + someone) + for + noun
Decide + to + infinitive
Decide + (that) + clause
8: ENCOURAGE
Encourage + someone + to + infinitive
Explain + (that) + clause
Explain + noun + to + someone
NOT: She explained me the grammar.
Explain + question word + to + infinitive
Explain + question word + clause
10: INSIST*
Insist + on + verb-ing
Insist + (that) + clause
11: PROMISE
Promise + to + infinitive
Promise + (someone) + (that) + clause
12: RECOMMEND*
Recommend + verb-ing
Recommend + (that) + clause
Remind + someone + to + infinitive
Remind + someone + (that) + clause
14: SUGGEST*
Suggest + verb-ing
Suggest + (that) + clause
NOT: I suggest him to come.
Warn + someone + (not) + to + infinitive
Warn + someone + about + something
Negatives To make the verbs that we have reported negative, we need to look at the verb pattern:
* Advanced Point In formal English, some verbs that are followed by '(that) + clause' use the infinitive instead of a present tense verb. Some people suggest that this is a kind of subjunctive in English. You only need to worry about this in very formal writing.
Mostly, this doesn't make a difference, because the present simple form in English is often the same as the infinitive form. But when the subject is 'he', 'she' or 'it' or when the verb is 'be', we can see it clearly.
Some reporting verbs may appear in more than one of the following groups because they can be used in several ways.
ask know remember | say see |
add admit agree announce answer argue boast claim comment complain confirm consider deny | doubt estimate explain fear feel insist mention observe persuade propose remark remember repeat | reply report reveal say state suggest suppose tell think understand warn |
decide expect guarantee hope | promise swear threaten |
advise beg demand | insist prefer propose | recommend request suggest |
decide describe discover discuss explain forget guess | imagine know learn realise remember reveal say | see suggest teach tell think understand wonder |
advise ask beg command | forbid instruct invite | teach tell warn |
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Olivia Drake
Reported speech and indirect speech are two terms that refer to the same concept, which is the act of expressing what someone else has said.
On this page:
Reported speech is different from direct speech because it does not use the speaker’s exact words. Instead, the reporting verb is used to introduce the reported speech, and the tense and pronouns are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. There are two main types of reported speech: statements and questions.
1. Reported Statements: In reported statements, the reporting verb is usually “said.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and any pronouns referring to the speaker or listener are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. For example, “I am going to the store,” becomes “He said that he was going to the store.”
2. Reported Questions: In reported questions, the reporting verb is usually “asked.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and the word order changes from a question to a statement. For example, “What time is it?” becomes “She asked what time it was.”
It’s important to note that the tense shift in reported speech depends on the context and the time of the reported speech. Here are a few more examples:
Reported speech is used to report what someone else has said, thought, or written. It is often used in situations where you want to relate what someone else has said without quoting them directly.
Reported speech can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversation. Some common situations where reported speech is used include:
News reports: Journalists often use reported speech to quote what someone said in an interview or press conference.
Business and professional communication: In professional settings, reported speech can be used to summarize what was discussed in a meeting or to report feedback from a customer.
Conversational English: In everyday conversations, reported speech is used to relate what someone else said. For example, “She told me that she was running late.”
Narration: In written narratives or storytelling, reported speech can be used to convey what a character said or thought.
1. Change the pronouns and adverbs of time and place: In reported speech, you need to change the pronouns, adverbs of time and place to reflect the new speaker or point of view. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “I’m going to the store now,” she said. Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then.
In this example, the pronoun “I” is changed to “she” and the adverb “now” is changed to “then.”
2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet me at the park the next day.
In this example, the present tense “will” is changed to the past tense “would.”
3. Change reporting verbs: In reported speech, you can use different reporting verbs such as “say,” “tell,” “ask,” or “inquire” depending on the context of the speech. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.
In this example, the reporting verb “asked” is changed to “said” and “did” is changed to “had.”
Overall, when making reported speech, it’s important to pay attention to the verb tense and the changes in pronouns, adverbs, and reporting verbs to convey the original speaker’s message accurately.
1. Changing Pronouns: In reported speech, the pronouns in the original statement must be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. Generally, the first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours) are changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, while the second and third person pronouns (you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs) are changed according to the object of the reporting verb. For example:
Direct speech: “I love chocolate.” Reported speech: She said she loved chocolate.
Direct speech: “You should study harder.” Reported speech: He advised me to study harder.
Direct speech: “She is reading a book.” Reported speech: They noticed that she was reading a book.
2. Changing Adverbs: In reported speech, the adverbs and adverbial phrases that indicate time or place may need to be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. For example:
Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech: She said she was going to the cinema that night.
Direct speech: “He is here.” Reported speech: She said he was there.
Note that the adverb “now” usually changes to “then” or is omitted altogether in reported speech, depending on the context.
It’s important to keep in mind that the changes made to pronouns and adverbs in reported speech depend on the context and the perspective of the new speaker. With practice, you can become more comfortable with making these changes in reported speech.
In reported speech, the tense of the reported verb usually changes to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here are some guidelines on how to change the tense in reported speech:
Present simple in direct speech changes to past simple in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I like pizza.” Reported speech: She said she liked pizza.
Present continuous in direct speech changes to past continuous in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I am studying for my exam.” Reported speech: He said he was studying for his exam.
Present perfect in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I have finished my work.” Reported speech: She said she had finished her work.
Past simple in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I visited my grandparents last weekend.” Reported speech: She said she had visited her grandparents the previous weekend.
Will in direct speech changes to would in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I will help you with your project.” Reported speech: He said he would help me with my project.
Can in direct speech changes to could in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I can speak French.” Reported speech: She said she could speak French.
Remember that the tense changes in reported speech depend on the tense of the verb in the direct speech, and the tense you use in reported speech should match the time frame of the new speaker’s perspective. With practice, you can become more comfortable with changing the tense in reported speech.
No, you do not always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech. However, using a reporting verb can help to clarify who is speaking and add more context to the reported speech.
In some cases, the reported speech can be introduced by phrases such as “I heard that” or “It seems that” without using a reporting verb. For example:
Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She said she was going to the cinema tonight. Reported speech without a reporting verb: It seems that she’s going to the cinema tonight.
However, it’s important to note that using a reporting verb can help to make the reported speech more formal and accurate. When using reported speech in academic writing or journalism, it’s generally recommended to use a reporting verb to make the reporting more clear and credible.
Some common reporting verbs include say, tell, explain, ask, suggest, and advise. For example:
Direct speech: “I think we should invest in renewable energy.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She suggested that they invest in renewable energy.
Overall, while using a reporting verb is not always required, it can be helpful to make the reported speech more clear and accurate
How to use reported speech to report questions and commands?
1. Reporting Questions: When reporting questions, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “What time is the meeting?” Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was.
Note that the question mark is not used in reported speech.
2. Reporting Commands: When reporting commands, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “ordered” or “told” followed by the person, to + infinitive, and any additional information. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “Clean your room!” Reported speech: She ordered me to clean my room.
Note that the exclamation mark is not used in reported speech.
In both cases, the tense of the reported verb should be changed accordingly. For example, present simple changes to past simple, and future changes to conditional. Here are some examples:
Direct speech: “Will you go to the party with me?”Reported speech: She asked if I would go to the party with her. Direct speech: “Please bring me a glass of water.”Reported speech: She requested that I bring her a glass of water.
Remember that when using reported speech to report questions and commands, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.
To make questions in reported speech, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here are the steps to make questions in reported speech:
Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb in the sentence. Common reporting verbs used to report questions include “asked,” “inquired,” “wondered,” and “wanted to know.”
Change the tense and pronouns: Next, you need to change the tense and pronouns in the sentence to reflect the shift from direct to reported speech. The tense of the verb is usually shifted back one tense (e.g. from present simple to past simple) in reported speech. The pronouns should also be changed as necessary to reflect the shift in perspective from the original speaker to the reporting speaker.
Use an appropriate question word: If the original question contained a question word (e.g. who, what, where, when, why, how), you should use the same question word in the reported question. If the original question did not contain a question word, you can use “if” or “whether” to introduce the reported question.
Change the word order: In reported speech, the word order of the question changes from the inverted form to a normal statement form. The subject usually comes before the verb, unless the original question started with a question word.
Here are some examples of reported questions:
Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?”Reported speech: He wanted to know if I had finished my homework. Direct speech: “Where are you going?”Reported speech: She wondered where I was going.
Remember that when making questions in reported speech, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.
Here you can find more examples of direct and indirect questions
In reported or indirect speech, you are retelling or reporting what someone said using your own words. The tense of the reported speech is usually shifted back one tense from the tense used in the original statement. For example, if someone said, “I am going to the store,” in reported speech you would say, “He/she said that he/she was going to the store.”
The main difference between reported speech and indirect speech is that reported speech usually refers to spoken language, while indirect speech can refer to both spoken and written language. Additionally, indirect speech is a broader term that includes reported speech as well as other ways of expressing what someone else has said, such as paraphrasing or summarizing.
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Table of contents, what is reported speech.
Reported speech is also referred to as indirect speech or indirect discourse .
Before explaining how to report a discourse, let us first distinguish between direct speech and reported speech .
More examples:
Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|
She says: “I like tuna fish.” | She says that she likes tuna fish. |
She said: “I’m visiting Paris next weekend.” | She said that she was visiting Paris the following weekend. |
He asked Betty: “Do you like cheese?” | He wanted to know if Betty liked cheese. |
A. reporting statements, 1- pronouns.
Shifting back tense | Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|---|
(no backshift) | “I poems.” | He that he poems. |
(backshift) | “I poems | He that he poems. |
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
He said: “I happy” | He said that he happy |
He said: “I for my keys” | He said that he for his keys |
He said: “I New York last year” | He said that he New York the previous year. |
He said: ” I here for a long time “ | He said that he there for a long time |
He said: “They the work when I “ | He said that they the work when he “ |
He said: “I football when the accident “ | He said that football when the accident |
He said: “I football for two hours.” | He said that football for two hours |
He said: “I a newspaper when the light “ | He said that he a newspaper when the light |
He said: “I the door.” | He said that the door. |
He said: “I a Mercedes if I rich” | He said that he a Mercedes if he rich |
Modal | Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|---|
can | “I do it.” | He said that he do it. |
may | “ I go out?” | He wanted to know if he go out. |
must | “She apply for the job.” | He said that she apply for the job. |
will | “They call you.” | He told her that they call her. |
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
Time Expressions | |
today | that day |
now | then |
yesterday | the day before |
… days ago | … days before |
last week | the week before/the previous week |
next year | the following year/the next year/ the year after |
tomorrow | the next day/the following day |
Place | |
here | there |
Demonstratives | |
this | that |
these | those |
Types of questions | Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|---|
With question words (what, why, where, how…) | “Why don’t you speak English?” | He asked me why I didn’t speak English. |
Without question words (yes or no questions) | “Do you speak English?” | He asked me whether/if I spoke English. |
Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|
“Nancy, do the exercise.” | He told Nancy to do the exercise. |
“Nancy, give me your pen, please.” | He asked Nancy to give him her pen. |
Tenses are not relevant for requests, simply use / + verb (infinitive without “to”) |
For affirmative use + infinitive (without to) For negative requests, use + infinitive (without to). |
Main clauses connected with and/but, punctuation rules of the reported speech, can we omit that in the reported speech, list of reporting verbs.
Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|
simple present | simple past |
simple past | past perfect |
present continuous | past continuous |
past continuous | past perfect continuous |
will | would |
shall | should |
may | might |
can | could |
must | had to |
Reporting verbs are verbs that serve to report what someone else has said. Reporting verbs are different than the reported speech in that they are used to paraphrase what someone has said. Reported speech is used when reporting exactly what someone has said. To do this, use 'say' and 'tell'.
John told me he was going to stay late at work. Jennifer told Peter she had lived in Berlin for ten years.
Peter said he wanted to visit his parents that weekend. My friend said he would finish his work soon.
Other verbs used with reported speech include 'mention' and 'comment'. Here are some examples:
Tom mentioned he enjoyed playing tennis. Alice mentioned she could take care of the kids this weekend.
The teacher commented the students weren't getting their homework done on time. The man commented he felt tired after such a long journey.
When using reported speech, change the verb used by the original speaker to match your usage. In other words, if you report using 'said,' you need to move everything back one step into the past. There are also pronoun changes and time cue changes that need to be made as appropriate in reported speech.
"I like playing tennis." - Tom mentioned he liked playing tennis. "I have lived in Berlin for ten years." - Jennifer told Peter she had lived in Berlin for ten years.
Say and tell are the most common reporting verbs used to report what others have said. However, there are a number of other reporting verbs which can more accurately describe what someone has said. These verbs take a variety of structures that differ from reported speech. For example:
I will come to your party. I promise.
He said he would come to my party.
He promised to come to my party.
In this example, reported speech changes the original verb to 'would' as well as changing the possessive pronoun 'your' to 'my'. In contrast, the reporting verb 'promise' is simply followed by the infinitive. There are a number of formulas used with reporting verbs. Use the chart below to identify the structure required.
The following list gives you reporting verbs in various categories based on sentence structure. Note that a number of verbs can take more than one form.
advise encourage invite remind warn | agree decide offer promise refuse threaten | admit agree decide deny explain insist promise recommend suggest | deny recommend suggest | accuse blame congratulate | apologize insist |
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For more information on reported speech, this overview of reported speech provides a guide on which transformations are required to use the form. Practice using this form with the reported speech worksheet that provides a quick review and exercise. There's also a reported speech quiz which provides immediate feedback on correct or incorrect answers. Teachers can use this guide on how to teach reported speech for help introducing the reported speech, as well as a reported speech lesson plan and other resources.
On this page, use of reporting verbs, common reporting verbs - say pattern, common reporting verbs - tell pattern, reporting actions : requests, promises etc, reporting verbs followed by a gerund.
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Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of communicating what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. For example, if your friend said, “ I am going to the store ,” in reported speech, you might convey this as, “ My friend said he was going to the store. ” Reported speech is common in both spoken and written language, especially in storytelling, news reporting, and everyday conversations.
Reported speech can be quite challenging for English language learners because in order to change direct speech into reported speech, one must change the perspective and tense of what was said by the original speaker or writer. In this guide, we will explain in detail how to change direct speech into indirect speech and provide lots of examples of reported speech to help you understand. Here are the key aspects of converting direct speech into reported speech.
Pronouns are usually changed to match the perspective of the person reporting the speech. For example, “I” in direct speech may become “he” or “she” in reported speech, depending on the context. Here are some example sentences:
Reported speech: tense shifts.
When converting direct speech into reported speech, the verb tense is often shifted back one step in time. This is known as the “backshift” of tenses. It’s essential to adjust the tense to reflect the time elapsed between the original speech and the reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how different tenses in direct speech are transformed in reported speech:
Reported speech: question format.
When converting questions from direct speech into reported speech, the format changes significantly. Unlike statements, questions require rephrasing into a statement format and often involve the use of introductory verbs like ‘asked’ or ‘inquired’. Here are some examples to demonstrate how questions in direct speech are converted into statements in reported speech:
Reported speech quiz.
Imagine you’re telling a friend a story. You can quote someone exactly, word for word. That’s direct speech. For example, if your friend said, “I love ice cream,” you tell it exactly as it is.
On the other hand, reported speech is like playing a game of telephone. You don’t use the exact words but share the main idea. So, if your friend loves ice cream, you might say, “He said he loves ice cream.”
Now, that you have some background on these two types of speech, let’s go through some of the grammar rules using them.
In reported speech, the tense of the verb in the direct speech reflects the time of reporting.
In this case, the present continuous tense “am reading” changes to the past continuous “was reading” in reported speech. This happens because the action was ongoing at the time it was spoken about, but is being reported at a later time.
When converting simple present tense verbs from direct speech to reported speech, you need to make changes to the verb tense.
This change from “is” to “was” shows that what was stated in the present is now being relayed in the past tense. This helps indicate that the conversation happened earlier.
When a statement in direct speech is a hobby, truth, or routine, we keep it in the present simple tense.
This happens because the action is a regular activity or a fact. Its timelessness means the tense doesn’t need to change.
To convert present continuous direct speech to reported speech, you can change it to the past continuous tense verb.
This tense change from “am studying” to “was studying” shows the action was ongoing but happened before the current moment.
To convert present perfect direct speech to reported speech, change the been tense to past perfect tense.
By shifting from “have gone” to “had gone,” we indicate that the shopping happened before the current moment. This shift helps clarify the sequence of events using past perfect tense.
To convert present perfect continuous direct speech to reported speech, we change it to past perfect continuous.
When we switch “have been modeling” to “had been modeling,” we’re moving from present perfect continuous to past perfect continuous. This highlights that the modeling started in the past. It was ongoing up until another point in the past, as reported.
To convert simple past direct speech, change the simple past tense to past perfect.
When we change “finished” to “had finished,” we’re moving from simple past to past perfect in reported speech. This indicates that the project was completed before the current point in time being discussed.
To convert past continuous direct speech to reported speech, use the past perfect continuous verb.
By changing “was drinking” to “had been drinking,” we’re moving from past continuous to past perfect continuous in reported speech. This shows the action was in progress before a certain point in the past.
To convert future simple direct speech to reported speech, change the future simple verb “will” to the modal verb “would”.
Switching “will” to “would” changes the verb from future simple to a form that fits reported speech. It indicates a future action from a past perspective. It’s like making a promise yesterday about what you’re going to do tomorrow.
You might need to change the pronouns in direct speech to reported speech depending on the listener and speaker.
Changing “I” to “she” adjusts the pronoun to match the perspective of the speaker in reported speech. It keeps the story clear about who is doing what. Similarly, “you” might also remain unchanged if it still refers to the same person.
We use reporting verbs like “say”, “ask”, “tell”, “exclaim”, and “whisper”. This helps indicate who is speaking and the tone of a conversation.
Using “exclaimed” instead of “said” in reported speech adds emotion, showing excitement about winning the game. There are lots of examples of changing the reported verbs.
You may also need to change expressions for time and place. Here is an example of this.
Changing “tomorrow” to “the next day” in reported speech adjusts the time expression to fit the context of when the speech is reported. This keeps the timing accurate, regardless of when the conversation is recounted.
In reported speech, the reporting verb is often followed by a reporting clause. This includes words like “that”, “if”, or “whether”.
In this transformation, “asked if” introduces the question in reported speech. This shifts from a direct question to a statement about the question. This structure helps clarify what was asked without directly quoting the question.
You may need to change modal verbs like “can”, “will”, “shall”, “may”, and “must” in reported speech.
Switching “can” to “could” in reported speech shifts the modal verb to reflect a statement made in the past. This change keeps the meaning intact while adjusting the tense.
Direct and reported speech are two ways to share what someone said. This type of speech is like quoting someone word-for-word. It’s like recording their exact words.
Reported speech is more about telling the story in your own words, changing things like tense and pronouns to make it fit. It’s like retelling a movie plot to a friend.
Learning how to switch between them helps us share a story or pass on information. It’s a bit like being a storyteller, adapting the story to make it clear to everyone.
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Reporting verbs are an essential aspect of writing in various fields such as academic writing, journalism, and literature. They are used to report or refer to another writer’s work and are necessary to link your in-text citation to the information that you are citing. These verbs are used to convey the writer’s attitude towards the information being reported and help to establish credibility.
In this article, we will explore the meaning, strength, and nuance of different reporting verbs. We will also provide examples of how to use them in sentences and offer exercises to test your knowledge. Whether you are a student, researcher, or writer, understanding reporting verbs is essential to improve your writing and communicate your ideas effectively.
As writers, we often need to report what someone else has said, written or done. To do this, we use reporting verbs. Reporting verbs are words that we use to convey information about what someone else has said or done. The purpose of using reporting verbs is to make our writing more concise and clear.
There are many reporting verbs that we can use in our writing. Some of the most common reporting verbs include “say,” “tell,” “ask,” “warn,” “suggest,” “advise,” “promise,” and “offer.” The choice of which reporting verb to use depends on the context of the sentence and the tone that we want to convey.
Here is a list of some common reporting verbs and their meanings:
Reporting Verb | Meaning |
---|---|
say | to state something |
tell | to communicate information to someone |
ask | to request information from someone |
warn | to caution someone about something |
suggest | to propose an idea or plan |
advise | to give someone advice |
promise | to make a commitment to do something |
offer | to propose something for consideration |
It is important to note that some reporting verbs are followed by a direct object (e.g. “tell” is followed by the person being told), while others are not. For example, “say” is not followed by a direct object, but “warn” is.
Reporting verbs list.
Below is a useful reporting verbs list in English.
Learn more about reported speech .
Reporting verbs for statements.
The most common type of information cited in academic writing is statements. Here are some reporting verbs that can be used to report statements:
When citing information from a question, it is important to use a reporting verb that accurately reflects the nature of the question. Here are some reporting verbs that can be used to report questions:
When citing information about orders or requests, it is important to use a reporting verb that accurately reflects the nature of the order or request. Here are some reporting verbs that can be used to report orders and requests:
Tense agreement.
When using reporting verbs, it is important to ensure that the tense of the verb used in the reported speech matches the tense used in the reporting verb. For example, if we use the reporting verb “said” in the past tense, then the verb used in the reported speech should also be in the past tense. If we use the present tense reporting verb “says”, then the verb used in the reported speech should also be in the present tense.
Another important aspect of using reporting verbs is ensuring that there is agreement between the subject of the reporting verb and the subject of the reported speech. For example, if the subject of the reporting verb is “he”, then the subject of the reported speech should also be “he”. If the subject of the reporting verb is “they”, then the subject of the reported speech should also be “they”.
Reporting verbs follow specific patterns for their sentence structure. For instance, “say” uses the basic verb pattern: “Say + ( that) + clause”. On the other hand, with “tell” we need to use an object, a person who we tell the information to. Other reporting verbs such as “ask” and “inquire” also have their own unique patterns.
Academic writing.
In academic writing, reporting verbs are extensively used to link in-text citations to the information cited. These verbs help the writer to accurately and effectively present the ideas and arguments of other authors.
Reporting verbs can be divided into two categories: neutral and evaluative. Neutral verbs, such as “state” and “report,” are used to present information without any subjective evaluation. Evaluative verbs, such as “argue” and “contend,” are used to present information with a subjective evaluation. It is important to choose the appropriate reporting verb that accurately reflects the author’s intention.
Journalism is another field where reporting verbs are frequently used. In journalism, reporting verbs are used to convey the tone of the article and the writer’s perspective. For example, “allege” and “claim” are used to indicate that the information is unverified, while “confirm” and “verify” are used to indicate that the information is true. Journalists need to be careful in their choice of reporting verbs to avoid any bias or misrepresentation.
In business communication, reporting verbs are used to convey information in a clear and concise manner. Business professionals use reporting verbs to communicate the results of their research, surveys, and analysis. Neutral verbs, such as “indicate” and “show,” are used to present information without any subjective evaluation. Evaluative verbs, such as “recommend” and “propose,” are used to present information with a subjective evaluation.
It is important to choose the appropriate reporting verb that accurately reflects the author’s intention and the purpose of the communication.
Last Updated on December 6, 2023
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Explore different ways of referring to literature and foregrounding your voice.
Reporting verbs help you introduce the ideas or words of others as paraphrase or quotation from scholarly literature. Always accompanied by a reference, they indicate where you’re drawing on other people’s work to build your own argument. They also indicate your stance (agree, disagree, etc) on the scholarship you’re describing, highlighting your critical contribution. There are lots of reporting verbs to choose from and, depending on the context, they might be used to convey more than one stance, so you’ll notice that some appear in more than one category.
The following reporting verbs have been organised according to the critical stances they signal.
Reporting verbs.
Abrams mentions that culture shock has “long been misunderstood as a primarily psychological phenomenon” (34)
Chakrabarty outlines the four stages of mitosis (72-3)
Abrams refutes the idea that culture shock is a “primarily psychological phenomenon” (34)
Chakrabarty demonstrates that mitosis actually occurs over five stages (73)
Abrams contends that culture shock is socially produced (38)
Chakrabarty hypothesises that metaphase is a more complex process than previously thought (77)
Abrams points out that culture shock is a “stress response mechanism” (34)
Chakrabarty proves that mitosis is irreversible, once triggered (80)
Abrams’ analysis disregards the neurochemical factors that contribute to culture shock (36)
Chakrabarty speculates that “metaphase is the most important stage of mitosis” (78)
Reporting verb.
Abrams asserts that theories of culture shock have moved away from psychological explanations.
Chakrabarty emphasises the role of metaphase within mitosis (78)
Explore different ways of referring to literature and foregrounding your voice. **PDF Download**
Find out how to structure an academic paragraph.
Explore different ways of guiding the reader through your assignment.
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Learn how to use Introductory Verbs in Reported Speech and how they are used.
Verb + to + infinitive.
“Yes, I’ll cook for you.”
=> He agree to cook for me.
“Would you like me to carry your baby?”
=> He offered to carry her baby.
“No, I won’t buy you a car.”
=> She refused to buy me a car.
“Tell me the truth.”
=> He demanded to be told the truth.
“Behave yourself or I’ll punish you.”
=> He threatened to punish me if I didn’t behave myself.
“I’ll marry you when I return.”
=> He promised to marry her when he returned.
“I heard her say that.”
=> He claimed to have heard her say that.
“You should take a coat.”
=> He advised me to take a coat.
“Could you babysit for me on Friday?”
=> She asked me to babysit for her on Friday .
“You can park over there.”
=> He allowed me to park over there
“Please, please call the police.”
=> She begged me to call the police.
“Drop your weapons!”
=> He commanded them to drop their weapons.
“Go ahead, phone her.”
=. He encouraged me to phone her.
“You mustn’t eat sweets.”
=> My doctor forbade me to eat sweets.
“Would you like to come to my house?”
=> She invited me to go to his house.
“I’d like you to drink a cup of tea.”
=> He wanted me to drink a cup of tea.
“Insert coin.”
=> He instructed me to insert coin.
“You may travel with your friends.”
=> My parents permitted me to travel with my friends.
“Finish reading the book.”
=> He urged me to finish reading the book.
“Get out of bed!”
=> She ordered me to get out of bed.
“Don’t forget to take out the garbage.”
=> She reminded me to take out the garbage.
“Don’t go near the oven.”
=> She warned me not to go near the oven.
“Yes, I stole her money.”
=> He admitted (to) stealing/having stolen her money.
“You broke the cup.”
=> She accused me of breaking the cup.
“I’m sorry I shouted at you.”
=> He apologised for shouting/having shouted at me.
“I’m the cleverest of all.”
=> He boasted of/about being the cleverest of all.
“I have a toothache.”
=> She complained to me of having a toothache.
“No, I didn’t murder my wife.”
=> He denied murdering/having murdered his wife.
“You must wear warm clothes.”
=> She insisted on me/my wearing warm clothes.
“Let’s go to the theatre.”
=> She suggested going to the theatre.
“You’re always late.”
=> She complained that I was always late.
“I’ve never flown in an aeroplane.”
=> She denied that she had flown in an aeroplane.
“It’s an easy recipe to follow.”
=> He explained that it was an easy recipe to follow.
“What a beautiful baby he is!”
=> She exclaimed/remarked that he was a beautiful baby.
“I promise I’ll call you.”
=> She promised that she would call me.
“I am a brilliant dentist.”
=> He boasted that he was a brilliant dentist.
“You will be called for an interview.”
=> He informed me that I would be called for an interview.
“I know the answer.”
=> He claimed that he knew the answer.
“Yes, that is a beautiful hat.”
=> He agreed that it was a beautiful hat.
“You ought to take the other road.”
=> He suggested that I (should) take the other road.
“This is how you make polite conversation.”
=> He explained to me how to make polite conversation.
Ms Phuong Do
Tuesday 27th of April 2021
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These verbs are used in reported speech, which can be direct or indirect. The first reporting verbs that English students learn are usually say and tell. For example compare i) and ii) below: "It's my birthday next weekend. Please, make a birthday cake for me!" Charlotte said to her mum (direct speech) Charlotte told her mum to make a ...
There are about 248 verbs to introduce reported speech in English. List of Reporting Verbs (with Examples) Tell, Say & Ask. The most common verbs to introduce reported speech are Tell, Say, and Ask. Important aspects of these verbs include: Tell. Can be followed by THAT but it can be omitted. Needs an indirect object. Example: He told me that ...
Indirect speech: He said he would come to the event. The reported speech changes to the use of would. A simple future tense verb in direct speech uses this modal verb for indirect speech. Remember to use a singular verb with an -s ending if the subject is singular and a plural verb if the subject is plural. For example:
The verb "forbid" means to prohibit someone from doing something. We forbade our kids to use the computer without supervision. Other reporting verbs: boast + that. The verb "boast" means to arrogantly say good things about yourself or your accomplishments. He boasted that he always got the best grades in the class. propose + that
Reported speech: She says she likes dogs. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, you need to change the tense of both the reporting verb and the main verb. Example: Direct speech: I like dogs. Reported speech: She said she liked dogs. The tenses generally move backward as follows: Direct Speech. Reported Speech.
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
Reported speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Download this explanation in PDF here. Try an exercise about reporting verbs here. In the page about reported speech, we talked about how to change direct speech ("I love coffee") into reported speech (Seonaid said that she loved coffee), using the verbs 'say', 'tell' and 'ask'.However, we can also use many other verbs to report what someone said, like 'promise', 'warn', 'advise' and 'recommend'.
The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is: say + (that) + clause. She said (that) she had already eaten. (The direct speech for this is "I've already eaten".) 2: TELL. On the other hand, with 'tell' we need to use an object, a person who we tell the information to. tell + someone + (that) + clause.
Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then. In this example, the pronoun "I" is changed to "she" and the adverb "now" is changed to "then.". 2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here's an example:
1. We use direct speech to quote a speaker's exact words. We put their words within quotation marks. We add a reporting verb such as "he said" or "she asked" before or after the quote. Example: He said, "I am happy.". 2. Reported speech is a way of reporting what someone said without using quotation marks.
Reporting verbs are verbs that serve to report what someone else has said. Reporting verbs are different than the reported speech in that they are used to paraphrase what someone has said. Reported speech is used when reporting exactly what someone has said. To do this, use 'say' and 'tell'. John told me he was going to stay late at work.
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 ...
Direct: "I will help you," she promised. Reported: She promised that she would help me. Direct: "You should study harder," he advised. Reported: He advised that I should study harder. Direct: "I didn't take your book," he denied. Reported: He denied taking my book. Direct: "Let's go to the cinema," she suggested.
Reporting verbs - admit doing, refuse to do, etc. Exercise 1. Choose the correct option to complete the sentences below. 1 My mum insisted me the money. 2 She recommended the first flight home. 3 I could finally persuade Megan it. 4 He warned careful. 5 The doctor asked drinking coffee. 6 I told come with us.
Rule #1. Tense. In reported speech, the tense of the verb in the direct speech reflects the time of reporting. Direct Speech: He said, "I am reading a book."; Reported Speech: He said that he was reading a book.; In this case, the present continuous tense "am reading" changes to the past continuous "was reading" in reported speech.
Common Reporting Verbs. There are many reporting verbs that we can use in our writing. Some of the most common reporting verbs include "say," "tell," "ask," "warn," "suggest," "advise," "promise," and "offer.". The choice of which reporting verb to use depends on the context of the sentence and the tone that we ...
This is a list of most common reporting verbs with the tips how they are used. The list is divided into three groups with verbs followed by gerund, verbs followed by to infinitive and verbs followed by a clause.
Reporting Verbs. Reporting verbs help you introduce the ideas or words of others as paraphrase or quotation from scholarly literature. Always accompanied by a reference, they indicate where you're drawing on other people's work to build your own argument. They also indicate your stance (agree, disagree, etc) on the scholarship you're ...
Reporting verbs are used to report what somebody said, like promise, say, ask, admit, etc. We normally classify these verbs into different groups depending on the structure in which they can be found. In the grammar chart below, you can see the most common reporting verbs and how they are used. Download full-size image from Pinterest.
Accuse sb of. "You broke the cup.". => She accused me of breaking the cup. Apologise for. "I'm sorry I shouted at you.". => He apologised for shouting/having shouted at me. Boast about/ of. "I'm the cleverest of all.". => He boasted of/about being the cleverest of all.
Verbos informativos. Sometimes it's necessary for person A to tell person B what person C said. This phenomenon, known as reported speech, is often done with the help of a reporting verb.Here are the most common Spanish reporting verbs with links to conjugation tables.