Unit 12B

Grammar: Reported Speech(2) - Reporting Verbs

Reporting Verbs

Direct Speech Reported Speech

“If you are too busy, I can pick Sally up from Dave said (that) he could pick Sally up from
school,” said Dave. school if I was too busy.

Dave offered to pick Sally up from school

Dave is making an OFFER
if I was too busy.
 Now, as you can see, the above reporting verb offer has a different structure to the
reported statement when using said:

say: reporting verb (+that) + clause BUT (often it can be a full

sentence)
a clause has meaning by itself

offer: reporting verb + infinitive + clause

Let’s look at some other common and useful reporting verbs and their particular
structures…
1. Reporting verbs with the same structure as say:

rep. verb + clause

*agree *promise *suggest complain *admit explain mention *claim *these reporting
verbs can also fit into other sentence structures.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

“Why don’t you go cycling in the electrician said.

countryside tomorrow,” Ellen said. Ellen suggested (that) I went cycling in the
country side the following day.
“You must turn the power off first, and then
remove the faulty power outlet,” the The electrician explained (that) I had to turn
the power off first, and then remove the faulty
 power outlet.
2. Reporting verbs with the same structure as tell:

rep. verb + direct object + clause

*advise warn *tell convince assure persuade notify inform *remind Direct

Speech Reported Speech

“Don’t pull it again, or you’ll break it,” said The father warned his son not to pull it again
the farther to his son. or he would break it.

“Don’t worry, I’m absolutely certain that I My wife assured me (that) she had locked
locked the front door,” said my wife. the front door.

*the direct object in some of these reported statements is changeable.

3A. Reporting verbs with the infinitive:

rep. verb + infinitive

threaten demand offer propose refuse *ask *agree *claim *promise Direct
 Speech Reported Speech

“I’ll punch you in the nose,” shouted Ben. Ben threatened to punch me in the nose.

“I am the most experienced in the team,” She claimed to be the most

she said. experienced in the team.
3B. Reporting verbs with the infinitive:

rep. verb + direct object + infinitive

invite *tell beg forbid order *remind advise ask encourage warn(not to)

Direct Speech Reported Speech

direct object
“Please, please, please can you buy The boy begged his mother to buy
me some candy,” said the boy. that direct object
infinitive

“If I were you, I wouldn’t invest in

him some candy.

She advised/warned me not to invest

company,” she said. in that company. infinitive
 *the direct object in some of these reported statements is changeable.
4A. Reporting verbs followed by a gerund:

rep. verb + verb+ing

mention deny suggest recommend admit propose Direct Speech

Reported Speech

“It wasn’t me who stole the bag,” cried Billy. having stolen the bag.)

She admitted leaving the freezer door

“It was me, I left the freezer door open,”
open.
she said.
*(She admitted having left the freezer
Billy denied stealing the bag. *(Billy denied
door open.)
*these reported structures are correct, but are usually taught at C1

level.

Take note:
All of the above listed reporting verbs can also fit into structure 1:
rep. verb (+that) + clause

Billy denied (that) he had stolen the bag.

 She admitted (that) she had left the freezer door open.
4B. Reporting verbs followed by a gerund:

rep. verb + preposition + verb+ing

*agree(to) apologise(for) insist(on) *argue(about)

Direct Speech Reported Speech

“I’m sorry for arriving so late this Naomi apologised for arriving so late that
morning,”said Naomi. morning.

“Ok, I’ll see another doctor before I make a She agreed to seeing another doctor before
final decision,” she said. making a final decision.
4C. Reporting verbs followed by a gerund:

rep. verb + direct object + preposition + verb+ing

blame(for) congratulate(on) discourage(from) criticise(for)

Direct Speech Reported Speech

“Harry should never have made such a careless “I heard you got engaged,
mistake,” said the teacher. congratulations!” Julia said.
The teacher criticised Harry for making Julia congratulated me on getting engaged.
such a careless mistake.

*the direct object in some of these reported statements is changeable.

Task 12.3
Use reporting verbs to transform the following sentences from direct speech into reported
speech (there may be some alternative answers for some questions):

1. Greg: “You’re right, I also think the water should have been warmer last week.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Miss Jones: “Ok everyone, stop writing, put your pens down, and close your books.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. James: “I can help you transport this sofa next week.”

_________________________________________________________________________________
4. He said, “There is no way I’m paying that bill. I’m not doing it.”

_________________________________________________________________________________
5. Dave: “I didn’t use that laptop yesterday.”

_________________________________________________________________________________
6. Daisy: “It’s completely your fault that the carpet is burnt Harry.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
7. “Don’t forget to take your medication while you are on holiday next week,” said his
mother.
_________________________________________________________________________________
8. “Stan, I don’t think driving for fourteen hours continuously is a good idea.” said Beryl.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Task 12.3
Use reporting verbs to transform the following sentences from direct speech into reported
speech (there may be some alternative answers for some questions):

1. Greg: “You’re right, I also think the water should have been warmer last week.”

Greg agreed (with me) that the water should

have been warmer the week before.

_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Miss Jones: “Ok everyone, stop writing, put your pens down, and close your books.”

Miss Jones told everyone to stop writing, put

their pens down, and close their

books._____________________________________________________________________
____________ 3. James: “I can help you transport this sofa next week.”
 James offered to help (me) transport that sofa
the following week.
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. He said, “There is no way I’m paying that bill. I’m not doing it.”

He refused to pay that bill.

_________________________________________________________________________________
5. Dave: “I didn’t use that laptop yesterday.”

Dave denied using that laptop the day before.

(yesterday)
_________________________________________________________________________________
6. Daisy: “It’s completely your fault that the carpet is burnt Harry.”
_________________________________________________________________________________

Daisy blamed Harry for burning the carpet.

7. “Don’t forget to take your medication while you are on holiday next week,” said his

mother. His mother reminded him to take his

medication while he was on holiday the

following week.
 _________________________________________________________________________________
8. “Stan, I don’t think driving for fourteen hours continuously is a good idea.” said Beryl.

Beryl discouraged Stan from driving for

fourteen hours continuously.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Reported questions Questions words: • who
1. If it is a yes/no question we are reporting, we use if • when
• where
or whether: Direct Speech Reported Speech • why
“Are you going to buy that shirt?” going to buy that shirt. (this shirt) • how
asked the shop assistant.
*They are sometimes called -
Laura asked whether Jack had wh words
“Did you pass your French exam passed his French exam.
*CAUTION: Do/does/can/
Jack?” Laura asked. • what have etc. are NOT question
The shop assistant asked if I was • which
2. If the direct question contains a question word, we Direct Speech Reported Speech
include that question word in the reported speech, but words! (they are auxiliary verbs)
we do not include the auxiliary verb in the reported
speech:
“Who is your favourite author?”
asked Andrea.
Andrea asked who my favourite
author was.
Andrea asked who was my favourite

author. NOT

“Where are you going this

summer?” he asked.
He asked (me) where I was going
the following summer.

He asked me where was I going the

following summer. NOT

“What did you buy at the He asked me what I had NOT buy at the store the day
store yesterday?” he asked bought at the store the day He asked me what I did before.
me. before.
Task 12.4
Transform the following questions from direct speech into reported speech (there may be
some alternative answers for some questions):

1. Randy: “What is your friends name?”

_________________________________________________________________________________
2. “Why did you need another bicycle?” he asked.

_________________________________________________________________________________
3. “Where is your phone?” asked Fred.

_________________________________________________________________________________
4. Carol: “How many days off do you have next month?”

_________________________________________________________________________________
5. “When was that campaign released?” asked the CEO.

_________________________________________________________________________________
6. George: “Which car is yours?”
_________________________________________________________________________________
7. “How did you get such big discount on that wine last week?” asked Sofia.
_________________________________________________________________________________
8. “Are you going to finish your homework in time?” asked Paul.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Task 12.4
Transform the following questions from direct speech into reported speech (there may be
some alternative answers for some questions):

1. Randy: “What is your friends name?”

_________________________________________________________________________________

Randy asked me what my friends name was.

2. “Why did you need another bicycle?” he asked.

He asked (me) why I had needed another bicycle..

_________________________________________________________________________________
3. “Where is your phone?” asked Fred.

Fred asked where my phone was..

_________________________________________________________________________________
4. Carol: “How many days off do you have next month?”

Carol asked (him) how many days off he had

the following month. (he has the following

month)

_________________________________________________________________________________ 5.
“When was that campaign released?” asked the CEO.

The CEO asked when that campaign had been

released.
_________________________________________________________________________________
6. George: “Which car is yours?”
_________________________________________________________________________________

George asked me which car mine was.

7. “How did you get such big discount on that wine last week?” asked Sofia. Sofia

asked how I got such a big discount on

this/that wine the week before.

_________________________________________________________________________________
8. “Are you going to finish your homework in time?” asked Paul.

Paul asked if/whether I was going to finish my

homework in time.
_________________________________________________________________________________