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
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
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
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.