Reporting Verbs

Reporting Verbs

By Adriënne Riemersma

Reporting verbs​

When we tell someone what another person said, we often use the verbs say, tell or ask. These are called 'reporting verbs'. However, we can also use other reporting verbs.

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Many reporting verbs can be followed by another verb in either an infinitive or an -ing form. 

Reporting verb + infinitive

Verbs like advise, agree, challenge, claim, decide, demand, encourage, invite, offer, persuade, promise, refuse and remind can follow an infinitive pattern.

'Let's see. I'll have the risotto, please.'

• He decided to have the risotto.

'I'll do the report by Friday, for sure.'

• She promised to do the report by Friday.

'It's not a good idea to write your passwords down.'

• They advised us not to write our passwords down.

We can also use an infinitive to report imperatives, with a reporting verb like tell, order, instruct, direct or warn.

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'Please wait for me in reception.'

• The guide told us to wait for her in reception.

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'Don't go in there!'

• The police officer warned us not to go in there.

Reporting verb + -ing form

Verbs like admit, apologise for, complain about, deny, insist on, mention and suggest can follow an -ing form pattern.

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'I broke the window.'

• She admitted breaking the window.

'I'm really sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.'

• He apologised for not getting back to me sooner.

'Let's take a break.'

• She suggested taking a break.

Multiple Choice

'I really must know what's going on here.' → She demanded _____ what was going on there.

• knew

• knowing

• to know

Multiple Choice

'Don't use the milk! – It's gone bad.' → He warned us not _____ the milk.

• use

• to use

• using

Multiple Choice

'Excuse me, but there aren't any clean towels in our room.' → They complained about not _____ clean towels in their room.

• to have

• having

• had

Multiple Choice

'OK, I won't say anything about it.' → I agreed not _____ anything about it.

• will say

• to say

• saying

Multiple Choice

'Oh, by the way, we saw Justyna at the party.' → They mentioned _____ Justyna at the party.

• seeing

• to see

• had seen