Reporting Verbs — Patterns & Nuances
+ to-infinitive
+ person + to-infinitive
+ (preposition) + -ing
+ that-clause
Perfect gerund
Passive reporting
What are reporting verbs?
Reporting verbs introduce what someone said, thought or asked. Each verb prefers a specific structure. Choosing the right pattern keeps your sentence natural and clear.
- statement She claimed (that) she was right.
- decision He promised to email later.
- admission They admitted taking the file.
- request We asked if we could leave.
Scope: This page focuses on verb patterns (not tense backshift in reported speech).
Core pattern map
| Pattern | Common verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V + to-inf | agree, refuse, promise, offer, threaten, decide, plan | He refused to answer. |
| V + person + to-inf | advise, ask, beg, convince, encourage, forbid, invite, order, persuade, recommend, remind, tell, warn | The doctor advised me to rest. |
| V + -ing | admit, deny, suggest, regret, consider, risk | She denied taking the money. |
| V + prep + -ing | apologise for, insist on, accuse sb of, confess to, complain about, blame sb for, prevent sb from | They insisted on staying. |
| V + (that)-clause | admit, agree, claim, complain, deny, explain, insist, promise, regret, say, suggest | He explained that the train was late. |
say, tell, ask — quick guide
| Verb | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| say | say (that) + clause — no object | She said (that) she was ready. |
| tell | tell + person + (that) + clause / tell + person + to-inf | He told me (that) he’d call. / She told us to wait. |
| ask | ask + person + to-inf / ask + wh-/if-clause | They asked us to sit down. / He asked where we were. |
In reported questions, keep statement word order: He asked where we were (no inversion, no question mark).
The perfect gerund: regret doing vs regret having done
Use the perfect gerund (having + V-ed/3) when the action clearly finished before the time of reporting. If the past meaning is obvious, the simple gerund often works too.
- now vs past I regret being unkind. (feeling about my present behaviour)
I regret having been unkind. (feeling about an earlier incident) - admit/deny He admitted stealing the money. / He admitted having stolen the money.
- remember/forget Remember to lock the door. (=future duty)
I remember locking the door. (=past memory) - apologise She apologised for having missed the meeting.
Choose the perfect form to emphasise completion before the reporting time; otherwise simple -ing is usually fine.
Passive reporting structures
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| It + be + said/known/thought + (that) + clause | It is said (that) the actor lives nearby. |
| Subject + be + said/expected + to-inf | The prices are expected to rise. / She is believed to have won. |
With past-before-past meaning, use to have + V-ed/3: He is thought to have left early.
Usage hints & common pitfalls
- Suggest: ✔ suggest doing / suggest (that) we… • ✘ suggest to do
- Offer: ✔ offer to help • ✘ offer someone to do
- Advise/Recommend: advise someone to… / recommend doing or recommend (that)…
- Tell/ask/warn normally take an object: tell me to…, ask her to…, warn them not to…
- That is optional in speech: He said (that) he was busy.
Verb families with typical patterns
| Function | Verbs | Model sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Promises/decisions | promise, agree, refuse, offer, decide, plan | We agreed to postpone the meeting. |
| Requests/commands | ask, tell, order, advise, persuade, encourage, warn, remind | She reminded me to call. |
| Admissions/opinions | admit, deny, claim, insist, complain, confess, explain, suggest, regret | He insisted (that) the data was correct. |
| Preposition + -ing | apologise for, accuse of, blame for, prevent from, insist on, confess to, complain about | They accused him of breaking the rules. |
Exercises:
Reporting Verbs & Patterns (admit doing, refuse to do…)
Choose the correct option to complete the sentences below.
1
The manager admitted
the deadline due to a technical issue.
2
She refused
the revised contract.
3
They promised
us feedback by Friday.
4
He suggested
a short coffee break.
5
Our teacher advised us
ten minutes earlier.
6
During the meeting, she insisted
the discussion immediately.
7
I apologized for
late to the interview.
8
The witness denied
the anonymous email.
9
My brother agreed
the heavy boxes upstairs.
10
They finally persuaded me
the weekend hiking group.
Reporting Verbs & Patterns (admit doing, refuse to do…)
Choose the correct option for each gap below.
1
He admitted ____ the deadline last week.
A.
B.
C.
2
The team agreed ____ overtime to finish the project.
A.
B.
C.
3
She refused ____ the contract without legal advice.
A.
B.
C.
4
They suggested ____ a short break after task three.
A.
B.
C.
5
I promised ____ you as soon as I arrived.
A.
B.
C.
6
The doctor advised me ____ more water during training.
A.
B.
C.
7
The teacher warned us ____ late again.
A.
B.
C.
8
My friend persuaded me ____ the course even though it looked hard.
A.
B.
C.
9
The manager apologized ____ the confusion his email created.
A.
B.
C.
10
She insisted ____ at the meeting despite feeling nervous.
A.
B.
C.
Reporting Verbs & Patterns (admit doing, refuse to do…)
Transform the sentences into reported speech using one of the reporting verbs from the box in past simple and any other necessary words.
admitteddeniedsuggestedrecommendedpromised
refusedagreedofferedwarnedreminded
1
“Okay, I broke the vase,” Tom said. ⇒ Tom the vase.
2
“I did not take your keys,” Mia said. ⇒ Mia the keys.
3
“Why do not we move the meeting online?” the boss said. ⇒ The boss the meeting online.
4
“You should rest for a week,” the doctor said. ⇒ The doctor for a week.
5
“I will call you tonight,” Sam said. ⇒ Sam me tonight.
6
“No, I will not take you there,” the driver said. ⇒ The driver us there.
7
“Yes, we will begin at nine,” the team said. ⇒ The team at nine.
8
“I can help you carry the boxes,” Mark said. ⇒ Mark us carry the boxes.
9
“Do not use your phones during the test,” the teacher said. ⇒ The teacher our phones during the test.
10
“Do not forget to lock the door,” my friend said. ⇒ My friend the door.