Reported Speech Special Introductory Verbs

Reported Speech Special Introductory Verbs

Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.

Different types of sentences

When you use reported speech, you either report:

• statements

• questions

• requests / commands

• other types

Reporting Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns

• tense

• place and time expression

Reporting Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns

• place and time expressions

• tenses (backshift)

• Also note that you have to:

  transform the question into an indirect question use the question word (where, when, what, how) or if / whether

Reporting requests / commands

When transforming requests and commands, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns

• place and time expression

Reporting verbs

Reporting verbs are used to report what someone said more accurately than using say & tell.

To help you understand how to correctly place them in a sentence, we have put them into approximate categories based on their most common usage.

verb + infinitive

• agree, decide, offer, promise, refuse, threaten

• He refused to take his coat off.

• They agreed to meet on Friday.

• My boss decided to give me a promotion.

• We agreed to keep quiet and not tell anyone the news.

• They threatened to go to the police.

verb + object + infinitive

• advise, encourage, invite, remind, warn, beg, urge

• She reminded me to telephone my mother.

• Tom advised me to go home early.

• Charlotte begged her mum to make a cake

• Her parents always encourage her to work

verb + gerund

• deny, recommend, suggest

• They recommended taking the bus.

• She suggested meeting a little earlier.

• She admitted stealing the money.

verb + object + preposition

• accuse, blame, congratulate

• He accused me of taking the money.

• They congratulated me on passing all my exams.

• They blamed me for missing the train.

verb + preposition + gerund

• apologise, insist

• They apologised for not coming.

• He insisted on having dinner.

• He insisted on paying for everybody.

A lot of these verbs can also be followed by a that clause

• admit, agree, decide, deny, explain, insist, promise, recommend, suggest

• Sarah decided that the house needed cleaning.

• They recommended that we take the bus.

• They denied that they had taken the last biscuit. 

• She suggested that we took a taxi.

• I propose that we cancel the next meeting.

Multiple Choice

‘I won’t buy this car’ he said.

• He refuses that he buy that car.

• He refused for buying this car,

• He refused to buy that car.

• He refused to buying that car.

Multiple Choice

"Don't go here"

• She said didn't go here.
• She said not to go there.
• She said don't go here.

Multiple Choice

"What happened?" he said.

• He said what happened.

• He said what happened?

• He asked what happened.

• He asked what had happened.

Multiple Choice

'I'll do it tomorrow.'

• He promised to do it the next day

• He promised doing it the next day

• He promised to will do it the next day

Multiple Choice

'Will you do it for me?' She asked me ....... for her.

• if I would do it

• do I do it

• would I do it

Multiple Choice

"You shouldn't go into the water" said the coast guard.

• The coast guard denied going into the water.

• The coast guard suggested to go into the water.

• The coast guard told me to not go into the water.

• The coast guard advised us not to go into the water.

Multiple Choice

"Will you come to dinner?"

• accuse

• explain

• order

• invite

Multiple Choice

"I will slap Maria really hard," said Carla. Carla _________ to slap Maria really hard.

• reminded

• denied

• threatened

• invited

Multiple Choice

"I cut the tree," said Jose. Jose ________ breaking the tree.

• apologize

• admit

• apologized

• admitted

Multiple Choice

Why don't we go to the cinema?
He ________ to the cinema.

• suggested going
• thanked for going
• promised to go
• warned against going

Multiple Choice

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

• She asked me what were you doing the next day.

• She asked me what I were doing the next day.

• She asked me what I was doing the next day.

• She asked me what was I doing the next day?

Multiple Choice

The bank officials ________ to lend him the money.

• complained

• encouraged

• refused

• warned

Multiple Choice

My father said :"I'll pay for the meal !

Put you money back in your wallets!"My father _______ on paying for the meal.

• refused

• insisted

• persuaded

• threatened

Multiple Choice

The doctor said to me : "You really should stay in bed and not go to work this week."

The doctor ___________ staying in bed and not going to work that week.

• advised

• offered

• suggested

• persuaded

Multiple Choice

'You're lying, Michael,' she said.

She______

• accused that Michael was lying.

• accused Michael of lying.

• accused Michael to lie.

Multiple Choice

'I wish I hadn't bought such an expensive phone.'

She regretted _______ such an expensive phone.

• to buy

• buying

• she bought