reporting verbs indirect speech

Reporting Verbs in English: List with Examples & Exercises

Reporting verbs are used when you want to tell someone about another conversation. We also call this reported speech or indirect speech. Two examples of reporting verbs are say and tell. There are many others and these have different meanings and grammar structures. In this study guide, we’ll look at examples of these verbs and show you how to use them correctly. We’ll also look at reporting verbs to improve your academic writing. Let’s go!

What are reporting verbs?

Reporting verbs list.

• How do I use them?

Reporting verbs in academic writing

• Test your knowledge: exercises

What you will learn: 

Reporting verbs (or referring verbs) are words used to report about (or refer to) what another person has said, written or done. These verbs are used in reported speech, which can be direct or indirect.

The first reporting verbs that English students learn are usually say and tell . For example compare i) and ii) below:

• “It’s my birthday next weekend. Please, make a birthday cake for me!” Charlotte said to her mum ( direct speech)

Charlotte told her mum to make a birthday cake for her. ( indirect speech)

There are many other reporting verbs in English. These can be particularly useful in formal and academic writing.

General reporting verbs

In this table, we have listed out some common reporting verbs that are used in everyday English. 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. However, you should remember that some of these reporting verbs can be used in difference contexts and sometimes with different grammar structures.

Academic reporting verbs

In the table below, we’ve listed out the reporting verbs in groups based on their general meanings. We have also indicated the relative “strength” of each verb. For example, if I imply (suggest/hint, weak) that you are wrong, this is very different from if I assert (state/say, strong) that you are wrong. Remember that English is seldom “black vs. white” – there are often several degrees of meaning.

How do I use reporting verbs?

Understanding what the verbs mean is generally the easiest step. You see a new word, you learn what the word means in your own language and you learn how to pronounce it in English. In actual fact, you can only really say you’ve learnt a word when you also know how to accurately use it in a sentence.

Let’s return to our example with Charlotte’s birthday cake:

 “It’s my birthday next weekend. Make a birthday cake for me,” Charlotte said to her mum ( direct speech)

Easy, right? Now let’s consider that there are many other ways that Charlotte could say this in English. Depending on what she said and how she said it, you might need to use a different reporting verb, not just say or tell . For example:

• If you want to express the idea of “ Don’t forget ” “ Don’t forget to make a birthday cake for me.” Charlotte reminded her mum to make a cake.
• If you want to express the idea of “ No, I don’t want to do something ” (i) “ I’m not going to make my own birthday cake!” Charlotte said that she wouldn’t make her own cake.(ii) “ I’m not going to make my birthday cake. You can do it!” Charlotte refused to make a cake. (iii) “I’ve got lots of work to do this weekend and I might be too busy for other things”Charlotte hinted that she wouldn’t make the cake.  

In these sentences, there are three different verbs (say, hint, refuse). They all mean “no” but say is a neutral verb, hint is a weak verb, and refuse is much stronger .

• If you want to express the idea of “Please do this!” “ Can you make a birthday cake for me, please ?” Charlotte asked her mum to make a cake. “ Please, please, please, can you make a cake for my birthday?” Charlotte begged her mum to make a cake (or) Charlotte pleaded with her mum to make a birthday cake. Ask, plead and beg all have a similar meaning, but plead and beg are much stronger than ask.

Learning words in English is like collecting bricks to build a house. It’s not enough just to get the bricks. You also need to learn how to arrange them correctly so that your house is solid! You can’t build a good house from just a couple of bricks (e.g. say and tell). That’s why you need to learn more vocabulary – like reporting verbs. We don’t want the Big Bad Wolf to blow your house down!

Let’s take a look at HOW to use reporting verbs in real sentences. Below, we have divided the verbs into their different grammar structures so they are easier for you to learn.

1. Reporting verb + infinitive

Verbs: Refuse, decide, promise, demand, agree, threaten, plead with Examples:

• Charlotte refused to make a cake. ( NOT : Charlotte refused making a cake)
• My boss decided to give me a promotion.
• The teacher demanded to know who was responsible for the mess.
• We agreed to keep quiet and not tell anyone the news. (or) We agreed that we would keep quiet.
• We threatened to go to the police.
• They pleaded with the man to release the hostage.

2. Reporting verb + somebody + (not) infinitive

Verbs : remind, ask, beg, warn , order, encourage, persuade, advise, urge, agree Examples :

• Charlotte reminded her mum to make a cake.
• They asked me to cook
• He begged his friend not to tell
• They warned me not to go there by myself.
• The government has ordered everybody to stay at home.
• Her parents always encourage her to work
• They persuaded me to stay for another drink.
• The doctor advised me to stop
• Our new neighbours have invited us to have dinner with them tomorrow.

3. Reporting verb + verb +ing

Verbs: Deny, suggest, recommend, report, propose, admit

These verbs can be used with +ing or with that , but it’s generally better to be concise and use the +ing verb. Short and sweet! Examples :

• They denied taking the last biscuit. (short) (or) They denied that they had taken the last biscuit. (long)
• She admitted stealing the money. (or) She admitted that she had stolen the money. / She admitted to me that she had stolen the money.
• She suggested taking a taxi because it would be quicker. (or) She suggested that we took a taxi.
• I recommend going in the morning when the weather isn’t so hot. (or) I recommend ( that) we go in the morning.
• I propose cancelling the next meeting until we have made a decision. (or) I propose that we cancel the next meeting.

4. Reporting verb + preposition + verb + ing

Verbs: Blame smbd for, accuse smbd of, insist on, apologise for, complain about, confess to, forbid smbd from, agree to, think about Examples :

• They blamed me for missing the train.
• She accused her friend of
• He apologised for breaking the window.
• She is thinking about moving to France.
• He insisted on paying for everybody. / He insisted that he paid for everybody.
• They complained about not having a small hotel room. / They complained that they didn’t have a bigger room.

The reporting verbs we use in academic writing also follow specific grammatical patterns. Again, it is important to know whether the verb needs +ing, the infinitive , or that after it.

5. Academic reporting verb + that

Verbs: Point out, find, observe , state, agree, believe, assert, claim, contend, explain, guess, assert, imply, reason, prove, note, report, reveal.

• Bosley (2017) found that elderly patients experience fewer symptoms of pain when they have regular access to some form of nature. (or) Bosley (2017) found a link between symptoms and access to nature. ( find smth )
• Martinez (2008) and Zhang (2009) agree that … (or) Martinez (2008) and Zhang (2009) agree with this theory . ( agree with + smth/smbd )
• Persson (2003) claims that a community is impossible without a shared aim.
• Research conducted by Bradwell in 2017 revealed that there was a considerable difference in the amount of time UK and US teenagers spent with their families. (or) Research conducted by Bradwell in 2017 revealed a considerable difference in the amount of time UK and US teenagers spent with their families.

6. Academic reporting verb + smth

Verbs: Develop, study, focus on, acknowledge, doubt, contribute to, echo, subscribe to, question, disapprove of, dispute, reject, discuss, investigate, illustrate, present, outline, put forward, consider, support, emphasise, challenge, analyse, discard, identify, explore, propose, highlight, stress. Examples:

• Wang (2016) supports the idea that there is a significant link between play and child development. NOT : Wang (2016) supports that there is a significant link between play and child development.  
• Roberts (2018) identifies three possible factors in early diagnosis.
• Solara (2015) questions the importance of this approach. (or) Solara (2015)  questions whether this approach is important.
• Barboza (2018) rejects the three factors presented by Solara.
• Miller (2016) discusses this theory in detail. NOT : Miller (2016) discusses about this theory in detail

In academic writing, reporting verbs are used when you want to refer to what another person has said. You do this to strengthen your own argument and to show that other academics think the same as you.

It would be easy to just learn the verb “to state”, and use this all the time. However, using a range of other verbs can allow you to express your opinion about the author’s idea more precisely. For example, “to state” is quite neutral , but “to claim” implies that there is no proof behind what the author is saying.

Past or present tense?

You can use both the past and the present tense in academic writing.

If you are talking about recent research, use the present. This makes a connection between past research and now, which adds weight to your argument.

• Wang (2016) support s the idea that there is a significant link between play and child development. (present simple)

If you are talking about how research was conducted, you will need to use the past simple (either active or passive voice).

• Wang (2016) examin ed fifty groups of siblings. (past simple) The siblings were asked the following questions. (passive voice)

Avoid these common mistakes!

• It’s possible to express someone’s opinion using “According to…”. This does not need a reporting verb. “According to” does the job of a reporting verb already. e.g. “According to Covey (2017)…” (Not: “ According to Covey (2017) states that… ”)
• A source written by one author will need a singular verb with “-s” at the end e.g. “Liu (2016) suggest s that…” (Not: “ Liu (2016) suggest that… ”)
• A source written by more than one author will need a plural verb. e.g. “Liu and Helzer (2016) suggest that…” (Not: “ Liu and Helzer (2016) suggests that… ”)
• If you use “et al.” to indicate multiple authors, this will also require a plural verb as it means “they”. e.g. “Rosenberg et al. (2018) argue that…” (Not: “ Rosenberg et al. (2018) argues that…” )

Reporting verbs: Exercises

• Why didn’t you _____________ me that you don’t eat meat? a) say.  b) tell
• I didn’t ____________ anything to you, because I was too worried. a) tell.    b) say
• We __________ them to meet us in the main square at half past eleven. a) told.  b) said
• You should ________ her that you don’t want to go on holiday. a) say.  b) tell
• Are you going to ___________ anything to Sue about your good news? a) say.  b) tell
• They have ________ that we will need to bring our own bed linen and towels. a) told.    b) said

Which of these sentences are right and which are wrong? Choose correct or incorrect.

• She suggested to study together for the exam. a . Correct    b. Incorrect
• I said you not to do that. a. Correct    b. Incorrect
• I didn’t tell anyone anything. a . Correct.  b . Incorrect
• We have decided live in the countryside. a. Correct    b. Incorrect
• My grandmother always encouraged to learn to cook. a. Correct    b. Incorrect

Choose the correct verb to complete the sentences.

• She invited me ________ to her house for a drink after work. a. go    b. going  c. to go
• She asked me _________ some money. a. lending    b. to lend    c . to lend her
• They persuaded me _________ to London with them. a. go    b. to go    c. of going
• He advised _______ more exercise. a. I do    b. me to do    c. me doing
• He begged me not _______ anybody about the accident. a. of telling    b. tell    c. to tell
• He reminded ________ to renew the car insurance. a . to me    b. me    c. of me
• She refused _______ the washing-up again! a. me to do    b. to do.  c. doing
• She apologised _________ me an angry text message. a. of sending. b. for sending    c. sending
• He admitted ________ the red wine on the sofa. a. spilling    b. to spill    c. spill of
• He suggested _________ on a cycling holiday next year. a. go    b . going c. we going
• He denied _________ my car. a. taking    b . to take    c. taking of
• She decided __________ the risotto. a. having.  b. to have    c. to having

Exercise 1:

Exercise 2:

• b. Incorrect (She suggested studying together for the exam.)
• b. Incorrect (I told you not to do that.)
• b. Incorrect (We have decided to live in the countryside.)
• b. Incorrect (My grandmother always encouraged me to learn to cook.)

Exercise 3:

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Reporting Verbs: List & Examples

In previous lessons, you’ve learned how to do reported speech and reported questions/commands  – now here are some verbs you can use to do the reporting! Pay special attention to the grammatical structure of how each one is used, and make sure to avoid the common errors.

Common Reporting Verbs

Say + (that).

Using the word “that” is optional after “say”:

• Bob  said he was happy.
• Bob  said that he was happy.

Avoid this common error: Bob said me that he was happy.

tell + someone + (that)

After the word “tell,” we must always have a person:

• Jane  told me  she had worked late.
• Jane  told me that  she had worked late.

tell + someone + (not) + to

We use “tell someone to” for giving an order/command:

• My mom  told me to  clean my room.
• My dad  told me not to  play with fire.

ask + someone + if/whether ask + someone + question word

We use “ask someone if/whether” for yes/no questions:

• They  asked the teacher if there was any homework.
• They  asked the teacher whether  there was any homework.

For all other questions, use this structure:

• He  asked me  what  time it was.
• She  asked us how  to get to the train station.
• They  asked the police officer why  the road was closed.

Avoid this common error: They  asked to the police officer… 

ask + someone + (not) + to

We use “ask someone to” for requesting action from the other person:

• She  asked me to  close the door.
• She  asked me not to  leave the door open.

Reporting Verbs for Advice

Recommend + ing / recommend + that.

• I  recommend staying  in this hotel.
• I  recommend that you stay  in this hotel.

suggest + ING / suggest + that

• He suggested taking an early train.
• He suggested that I take an early train.

Avoid this common error: He suggested me to take an early train.

warn + someone + about warn + someone + not + to

We “warn” people about potentially dangerous things:

• They  warned us  about  the high prices in San Francisco.
• They  warned us not to  move to San Francisco.

advise + someone + (not) + to

We use the verb “advise” for giving advice. “Advise” is pronounced with a Z sound, and “advice” is pronouned with an S sound.

• She  advised me to  start the assignment early.
• She  advised me not to  wait until the last minute.

encourage + someone + to

We usually use the word “encourage” for suggesting positive things.

• My parents  encouraged me to  take swimming lessons.

Reporting Verbs for Arguments & Strong Feelings

Admit + that.

If you “admit” something, it means you acknowledge a mistake or an unpleasant fact.

• He  admitted that  he’d stolen the money.

argue + that / argue + about

The word “argue” can mean to try to persuade other people that your opinion is correct – as in the first example – or it can mean to have an angry verbal conflict – as in the second example.

• The lawyer  argued that  his client didn’t know he was breaking the law.
• My parents are  arguing about  where to spend our family vacation.

agree + that

• The boss  agreed that  we should invest more in employee training.

Avoid this common error:  I’m agree.  The correct sentence is “I agree” (more common) or “I’m in agreement” (more formal).

claim + (that)

We use the verb “claim” to describe things we state are true… but other people might doubt that we are telling the truth.

• She  claimed that  she’d locked the door.
• She  claimed  she’d locked the door.

complain + that / complain + about

The verb “complain” means to say something negative because you are annoyed/disappointed about it.

• We  complained that  the hotel room was too hot.
• We  complained about  the temperature in the hotel room.

deny + that

If you “deny” something, it means you say it is NOT true.

• He  denied that  he was responsible.

insist + that / insist + on

The verb “insist” means to strongly say something is true, or strongly say you will do something, despite other people trying to contradict you.

• I  insisted that  I was innocent.
• She  insisted on  paying for my drink.

swear + that / swear + to

The verb “swear” means to say something with extremely strong certainty.

• He  swore that  he’d left his wallet on the table.
• He  swore to  get revenge.

threaten + to

The verb “threaten” means to say you will do something bad to another person.

• The manager  threatened to  fire me.

Reporting verbs for statements:

Explain + that explain + noun + to someone explain + question word.

• The receptionist  explained that  the doctor was out to lunch.
• Can you  explain this math problem  to me?
• He  explained how  he’d built his own house.

Avoid this common error: She explained me … / I explained him …  – we never have a person immediately after the verb “explain.”

state + that

• The politician  stated that  he was in favor of immigration.

reply + that

• When I asked her about the project, she  replied that  she didn’t know anything.

Avoid this common error: She replied me that…  – we never have a person immediately after the verb “reply”

mention + that

The verb “mention” means to say something quickly, or to say something that is not so important to the main topic.

• He  mentioned that  he’d put gas in the car.

announce + that

• The teacher  announced that  everyone had passed the test.

Reporting verbs for giving orders:

Command + someone + to.

• The officer  commanded the soldier  to clean the room.

demand + that demand + noun

• My sister  demanded that  I give her an answer.
• My sister  demanded an answer.

forbid + someone + to

The verb “forbid” means to prohibit someone from doing something.

• We  forbade our kids to  use the computer without supervision.

Other reporting verbs:

Boast + that.

The verb “boast” means to arrogantly say good things about yourself or your accomplishments.

• He  boasted that  he always got the best grades in the class.

propose + that

The verb “propose” can be used for making suggestions. It is a little more formal.

• She  proposed that  we take a ten-minute break.

reveal + that

When we “reveal” something, we say something that was previously a secret, or information that is sensitive or not very well-known.

• In the interview, he  revealed that  he struggled with self-esteem.

guarantee + that

If you “guarantee” that something is the case, it means you promise that it is true.

• We  guarantee that  our products are made from high-quality materials.

promise + (that) / promise + to

• You  promised that  you’d help me.
• You  promised  you’d help me.
• You  promised to  help me.

beg + someone + to/for

• I’m  begging you to  reconsider.
• I’m  begging you for  another chance.

remind + someone + to/that

• She  reminded me to  go to the bank.
• She  reminded me that  the bank is closed on Sundays.

Avoid this common error: She  remembered  me to go…

Learn more: State verbs and action verbs

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Reported Speech

If we want to say what somebody has said, we basically have two options:

• We can use the person's exact words - in quotation marks "..." if we are writing ( direct speech ).
• We can change the person's words into our own words ( reported speech ).

In this lesson we learn about reported speech , the structure that we use when we report what another person has said, and reported speech rules.

Now we will look at:

• Reported Statements
• Time and Place
• Reported Questions
• Reported Requests
• Reported Orders And then you can check your understanding of reported speech with...
• Reported Speech Quiz

Reported speech is called "indirect speech" by some people. Other people regard reported speech simply as one form of indirect speech. Other forms are, for example:

• questions-within-questions: Can you tell me if they are expensive?
• mental processes: He believes that politics is a dirty game.

Patterns with reporting verbs

Do you know how to use reporting verbs in a sentence? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how we use reporting verbs.

Harper reminds us that human rights are the priority. Smith suggests introducing small changes at first. Brown warns governments not to ignore ordinary people.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

MultipleChoice_MjQ3NDA=.xml

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

When we tell someone what another person said, we often use the reporting verbs say , tell and  ask . However, we can also use other verbs to more accurately report what the speaker has said. 

Each reporting verb requires a different pattern after it, and more than one pattern is possible after some verbs.

Verb + infinitive

When some verbs are immediately followed by another verb, the second verb is in infinitive form.

They refuse to accept responsibility for the accident. He promised not to share our personal information.

Verbs in this group include agree , claim , demand , offer , promise , refuse and threaten .

Verb + object + infinitive

Some verbs that are followed by the infinitive need an object between the reporting verb and the infinitive. 

The judge ordered the police to release the individual immediately. Ferguson warns governments not to delay any further.

Verbs in this group include advise , ask , encourage , invite , order , remind , tell , urge and warn .

Verb + -ing  

When certain verbs are immediately followed by another verb, the second verb has to be in -ing form. 

She recommends waiting for the refund. Computer scientists admit not knowing where the faulty data came from.

Verbs in this group include admit , deny , mention , recommend and suggest . 

Verb + preposition + -ing  

Note that when verbs with dependent prepositions are followed by another verb, we always use the -ing form. 

Employees complain about receiving important information too late. Two organisations apologised for not being present.

Verbs in this group include apologise for , complain about , confess to , insist on and object to . 

This structure is also used with warn when it is followed by the preposition against , and admit  when it is followed by the preposition to .

Novak warns against moving too fast. They'll never admit to not knowing the answer.

Verb + object + preposition + -ing

Some verbs that are followed by the -ing form need an object between the reporting verb and the preposition.

O'Reilly accused the government of lying about the issue. Parents blame schools for not doing enough to tackle bullying.

Verbs in this group include accuse ( someone of ), blame ( someone for ), and congratulate ( someone on ).

Verb + that + subjunctive

Some reporting verbs can also be followed by that + the base form of the verb. The verb in this part of the sentence is in the subjunctive and has no tense.

We suggest that she read the documents carefully before signing. Steiner demanded that the government investigate the issue.

Reporting verbs can be followed by the subjunctive when they express something that is wanted. These verbs include advise , ask , command , demand , insist , order , propose , recommend , request , suggest and urge .

Verb + that + indicative

When reporting verbs do not relate to a desire, they can be followed by a that clause in a variety of tenses, and the subjunctive is not necessary.

Customers complained that they had not been kept informed. Experts admit that it will take a long time to develop a solution. Sengupta agrees that we need a better system.

Verbs in this group include admit , advise , agree , claim , complain , decide , deny , explain , insist , promise , recommend and say .

Verb + object + that clause

With verbs like assure , persuade , remind , tell and warn , we put the object after the reporting verb and before the that clause.

She assured us that they would fully investigate the situation. Gairola warned ministers that the situation was critical.

MultipleChoice_MjQ3Mzk=.xml

Language level

Staff objected to being asked to change their shifts at such short notice

this sentence from test 2 number 9. why is the answer "to being"? isn't "to" is followed by infinitive? why is it not "for being?"

thank you in advance, sir.

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Hi ashiecajlenreese,

It's because in that sentence, "to" is a preposition. After all prepositions, the verb should be in the - ing  form. We know that "to" is a preposition because it followed the verb "object", which requires that preposition. You can see more examples of verbs like "object" in the section "Verb + preposition + - ing " on the page above.

We can't say  Staff objected for being ...   because the verb "object" only takes the preposition "to" (not "for").

In a sentence such as  I want to buy a car , "to" is not a preposition. It's part of the verb, and in that case it's followed by the infinitive.

I hope that helps.

LearnEnglish team

Computer scientists admit not knowing where the faulty data came from.

They'll never admit to not knowing the answer.

is there any exact reason when we use "admit to not knowing" and "admit not knowing?"

Hello ashiecajlenreese,

Both forms are used and they mean the same thing when followed by an '-ing' form.

You might find the Longman dictionary entry for ' admit ' useful. There are lots of examples and if you scroll down to the Grammar and Collocations boxes you can find some interesting comparisons.

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

what is the diffrence between they admitted having an issue with the newest version of their product and they admitted to have an issue with their newest version of their product

Thanks for your question. "They admitted to have an issue ..." is not grammatically correct. As the page above explains:

When certain verbs are immediately followed by another verb, the second verb has to be in - ing form.  Verbs in this group include admit ...

So, it has to be  They admitted having an issue ...  .

thanks alot

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Reported speech

Reporting verbs

In the page about reported speech, we talked about how to change direct speech ("I love coffee") into reported speech (Johnna said that she loved coffee), using the  reporting verbs 'say', 'tell' and 'ask'. However, we can also use many other verbs to report what someone said, like 'promise', 'warn', 'advise' and 'recommend'.

Some of these verbs look a bit more complicated to use than 'say' and 'tell', but it's just a question of getting to know the verb patterns (or verb structures).

(As I'm sure you know, we can often choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. The meaning is exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

Let's look first at the verbs we've already talked about. The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is:

say + (that) + clause

• She said (that) she had already eaten.

(The direct speech for this is "I've already eaten".)

On the other hand, with 'tell' we need to use an object, a person who we tell the information to. tell + someone + (that) + clause

• I told John (that) I had seen the new film.

(The direct speech for this is "I've seen the new film".)

When we are reporting orders, we can also use another pattern with 'tell':

tell + someone + to + infinitive

• She told the children to go to bed.

We use 'ask' to report questions or requests. For questions we use the pattern:

ask + someone + if / question word + clause

• I asked my boss if I could leave early.
• She asked them where the station was.

For requests we use the pattern:

ask + someone + to + infinitive

• I asked Lucy to pass me the salt.

(Remember, the first two examples with 'ask' are no longer real questions, so we use the normal sentence word order. We don't use inversion. We say 'she asked them where the station was', NOT  'she asked them where was the station' . You can read more about this on the lessons about indirect questions and  reported speech.)

Other reporting verbs follow a variety of patterns. There aren't any rules about which verbs follow which patterns. You need to learn each one.

(= Give someone advice. Notice the different spelling for the verb and the noun.)

Advise + someone + to + infinitive

• She advised him to see a doctor.

Advise + (that) + clause

• The staff advise that you carry water at all times.

Advise + against + verb-ing

• I'd advise against leaving early.

Agree + to + infinitive

• We agreed to meet the following day.

Agree + (that) + clause

• I agreed that the children could do their homework later.

6: APOLOGISE

Apologise + (to + someone) + for + verb-ing

• They apologised to us for being late.
• She apologised for forgetting the book.

Apologise (+ to + someone) + for + noun

• She apologised for the delay.

Decide + to + infinitive

• They decided to go to the cinema.

Decide + (that) + clause

• They decided that they would go to the cinema.

8: ENCOURAGE

Encourage + someone + to + infinitive

• She encouraged him to take the exam again.
• The teacher encouraged the students to ask questions.

Explain + (that) + clause

• The teacher explained that the course was finished.

Explain + noun + to + someone

• She explained the grammar to the students.

NOT:  She explained me the grammar.

Explain + question word + to + infinitive

• They explained how to buy a train ticket on the internet.
• John explained where to find the restaurant.

Explain + question word + clause

• We explained what the exams would cover.

10: INSIST*

Insist + on + verb-ing

• He insisted on paying.

Insist + (that) + clause

• He insisted that we sit down.

11: PROMISE

Promise + to + infinitive

• He promised to arrive early.

Promise + (someone) + (that) + clause

• I promised him that I wouldn't do it again.

12: RECOMMEND*

Recommend + verb-ing

• I recommend visiting the British Museum while you're in London.

Recommend + (that) + clause

• I recommend that you visit the British Museum

Remind + someone + to + infinitive

• She reminded him to take his keys.

Remind + someone + (that) + clause

• They reminded me that there is a party tonight.

14: SUGGEST*

Suggest + verb-ing

• I suggest leaving soon

Suggest + (that) + clause

• I suggest that you come as soon as you can.

NOT:  I suggest him to come.

Warn + someone + (not) + to + infinitive

• I warned them not to go in the water.

Warn + someone + about + something

• She warned us about the dangerous roads.

Negatives To make the verbs that we have reported negative, we need to look at the verb pattern:

• When there's a clause, we make the negative in the usual way: She said that she  didn't like  ice cream.
• When there's 'to + infinitive', we generally put 'not' before 'to': He promised  not to do  it again.
• When there's 'verb-ing', we generally put 'not' in front of it: I advise  not taking  the bus.

* Advanced Point In formal English, some verbs that are followed by '(that) + clause' use the infinitive instead of a present tense verb. Some people suggest that this is a kind of subjunctive in English. You only need to worry about this in very formal writing.

Mostly, this doesn't make a difference, because the present simple form in English is often the same as the infinitive form. But when the subject is 'he', 'she' or 'it' or when the verb is 'be', we can see it clearly.

• I advise that he  go  to bed early. (Normally we'd expect: I advise that he goes to bed early.)
• I insist that she  come  now. (Normally we'd expect: I insist that she comes now.)
• They suggested that the cats  be  put in the garden for the night. (Normally we'd expect: They suggested that the cats are put in the garden for the night.)

Some reporting verbs may appear in more than one of the following groups because they can be used in several ways.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY "IF" OR "WHETHER"

Verbs followed by a "that", verbs followed by either "that" or an infinitive with "to", verbs followed by a "that" clause containing should, which may be omitted, leaving a subject + zero-infinitive, verbs followed by a clause starting with a question word, verbs followed by object + infinitive with "to", course curriculum.

• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

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• B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech

Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job. 

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in  red  in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.

Sophie:  Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.

Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!

Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.

Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?

Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.

Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?

Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.

Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.

Daisy:  And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.

Sophie:  Great!

Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.

Sophie: Languages?

Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.

Sophie: Oh, right, of course.

Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...

Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!

Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.

Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?

Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.

He said he wanted to know about reported speech.

I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .

Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.

She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')

OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.

'We went yesterday.'  > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' >  He said he’d come the next day.

I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?

Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.

'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' >  He told me that his hair grows really slowly.

What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.

'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .

Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?

One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.

You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?

Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.

She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')

OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?

Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.

OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?

Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.

Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.

And I told you not to worry!

Check your grammar: matching

Check your grammar: error correction, check your grammar: gap fill, worksheets and downloads.

What was the most memorable conversation you had yesterday? Who were you talking to and what did they say to you?

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Reported speech

Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:

Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”

In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.

Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight .

In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised .

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:

“I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)

Mark apologised . (indirect: report of a speech act)

In a similar way, we can report what people wrote or thought:

‘I will love you forever,’ he wrote, and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (direct report of what someone wrote)

He wrote that he would love her forever , and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (indirect report of what someone wrote)

I need a new direction in life , she thought. (direct report of someone’s thoughts)

She thought that she needed a new direction in life . (indirect report of someone’s thoughts)

Reported speech: direct speech

Reported speech: indirect speech

Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses

Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout , usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.

Reported speech: punctuation

Direct speech.

In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double (“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:

“ I couldn’t sleep last night, ” he said.

Rita said, ‘ I don’t need you any more. ’

If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark, not a comma:

‘Is there a reason for this ? ’ she asked.

“I hate you ! ” he shouted.

We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause when the reporting clause is first:

The officer replied: ‘It is not possible to see the General. He’s busy.’

Punctuation

Indirect speech

In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:

She told me they had left her without any money.

Not: She told me, they had left her without any money .

Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.

We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and exclamations:

He asked me why I was so upset.

Not: He asked me why I was so upset?

Reported speech: reporting verbs

Say and tell.

We can use say and tell to report statements in direct speech, but say is more common. We don’t always mention the person being spoken to with say , but if we do mention them, we use a prepositional phrase with to ( to me, to Lorna ):

‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow,’ she said .

‘Try to stay calm,’ she said to us in a low voice.

Not: ‘Try to stay calm,’ she said us in a low voice .

With tell , we always mention the person being spoken to; we use an indirect object (underlined):

‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told them .

Not: ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told .

In indirect speech, say and tell are both common as reporting verbs. We don’t use an indirect object with say , but we always use an indirect object (underlined) with tell :

He said he was moving to New Zealand.

Not: He said me he was moving to New Zealand .

He told me he was moving to New Zealand.

Not: He told he was moving to New Zealand .

We use say , but not tell , to report questions:

‘Are you going now?’ she said .

Not: ‘Are you going now?’ she told me .

We use say , not tell , to report greetings, congratulations and other wishes:

‘Happy birthday!’ she said .

Not: Happy birthday!’ she told me .

Everyone said good luck to me as I went into the interview.

Not: Everyone told me good luck …

Say or tell ?

Other reporting verbs

The reporting verbs in this list are more common in indirect reports, in both speaking and writing:

Simon admitted that he had forgotten to email Andrea.

Louis always maintains that there is royal blood in his family.

The builder pointed out that the roof was in very poor condition.

Most of the verbs in the list are used in direct speech reports in written texts such as novels and newspaper reports. In ordinary conversation, we don’t use them in direct speech. The reporting clause usually comes second, but can sometimes come first:

‘Who is that person?’ she asked .

‘It was my fault,’ he confessed .

‘There is no cause for alarm,’ the Minister insisted .

Verb patterns: verb + that -clause

Word of the Day

throw your voice

to make something that is not real, such as a toy, seem to be speaking

Paying attention and listening intently: talking about concentration

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

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• English Grammar
• Reported Speech

Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.

Table of Contents

Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.

Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.

Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.

• The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
• You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
• You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
• Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.

Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.

• Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
• Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
• Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.

• Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
• Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
• Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
• The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
• Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
• Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
• Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
• Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
• The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
• Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.

Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.

1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”

2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”

3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”

4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”

5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”

6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”

7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”

8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”

9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”

10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”

Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.

1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.

2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.

3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.

4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.

5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.

6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.

7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.

8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.

9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.

10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.

What is reported speech?

What is the definition of reported speech.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

What is the formula of reported speech?

You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

Give some examples of reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.

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Reporting Verbs in Direct and Indirect Speech

Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)

Table of Contents

Introduction

In narration change verbs are very important. In narration, verb that is used to convey the speech of the speaker is called reporting verb . In reported clause also verbs are of great importance. We use auxiliary verb or main or principal verb to form the speech and by changing the tense of the verb in reported clause we convert speech from direct to indirect or vice versa. 

Today we are going to take a detailed look at reporting verbs.

 Most of the time, we use say, tell and ask as reporting verb. Usually these reporting verbs are used in past forms. 

‘Say’, ‘tell’, ‘ask’ can be used depending on the context of the sentence. 

‘Say’ and ‘tell’ are the most common used verbs. Although the meaning of ‘say’ and ‘tell’ is almost similar, there is a bit difference between the two reporting verbs. 

We use ‘say’ in narration to just generally introduce the words of the speaker. The ‘say’ verb dose not reveal to whom the words are spoken to. If we want to indicate, we have to put a ‘to’ after ‘say’.

Rita says , “The world is full of wonder.” Rita says to me, “the world is full of wonder.”

We use ‘tell’ to indicate who is spoken to. In this context ‘to’ need not to be used. Tell is also used to instruct or inform. 

Mama told me, “Be a good boy.” The teacher tells us, “Knowledge is power.”

‘Ask’ is used in case of interrogative sentence. We use ask to question or to inquire. We can also use to after ‘ask’. 

Rabi asked Rupa, “Are you all right?”   The man asks , “Does god exist?’’

We can also use advice, request, and order, instruct, reply, suggest, complain, etc. as reporting verbs.  

Introductory Verbs in Reported Speech

By: Author Rosie

Posted on Last updated: October 26, 2023

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Learn how to use Introductory Verbs in Reported Speech and how they are used.

List of Introductory Verbs in Reported Speech

Verb + to + infinitive.

• Agree    

“Yes, I’ll cook for you.”

=> He agree to cook for me.

“Would you like me to carry your baby?”

=> He offered to carry her baby.

“No, I won’t buy you a car.”

=> She refused to buy me a car.

• Demand  

“Tell me the truth.”

=> He demanded to be told the truth.

“Behave yourself or I’ll punish you.”

=> He threatened to punish me if I didn’t behave myself.

• Promise  

“I’ll marry you when I return.”

=> He promised to marry her when he returned.

“I heard her say that.”

=> He claimed to have heard her say that.

Verb + sb + to + Infinitive

• Advise  

“You should take a coat.”

=> He advised me to take a coat.

• Ask        

“Could you babysit for me on Friday?”

=> She asked me to babysit for her on Friday .

• Allow    

“You can park over there.”

=> He allowed me to park over there

• Beg      

“Please, please call the police.”

=> She begged me to call the police.

• Command          

“Drop your weapons!”

=> He commanded them to drop their weapons.

• Encourage          

“Go ahead, phone her.”

=. He encouraged me to phone her.

• Forbid  

“You mustn’t eat sweets.”

=> My doctor forbade me to eat sweets.

• Invite    

“Would you like to come to my house?”

=> She invited me to go to his house.

• Want    

“I’d like you to drink a cup of tea.”

=> He wanted me to drink a cup of tea.

• Instruct                

“Insert coin.”

=> He instructed me to insert coin.

• Permit  

“You may travel with your friends.”

=> My parents permitted me to travel with my friends.

• Urge      

“Finish reading the book.”

=> He urged me to finish reading the book.

• Order    

“Get out of bed!”

=> She ordered me to get out of bed.

• Remind        

“Don’t forget to take out the garbage.”

=> She reminded me to take out the garbage.

• Warn    

“Don’t go near the oven.”

=> She warned me not to go near the oven.

Verb + “ing” form

• Admit (to)  

“Yes, I stole her money.”

=> He admitted (to) stealing/having stolen her money.

• Accuse sb of

“You broke the cup.”

=> She accused me of breaking the cup.

• Apologise for    

“I’m sorry I shouted at you.”

=> He apologised for shouting/having shouted at me.

• Boast about/ of     

“I’m the cleverest of all.”

=> He boasted of/about being the cleverest of all.

• Complain to sb of           

“I have a toothache.”

=> She complained to me of having a toothache.

• Deny    

“No, I didn’t murder my wife.”

=> He denied murdering/having murdered his wife.

• Insist on     

“You must wear warm clothes.”

=> She insisted on me/my wearing warm clothes.

• Suggest    

“Let’s go to the theatre.”

=> She suggested going to the theatre.

Verb + that + Clause

• Complain            

“You’re always late.”

=> She complained that I was always late.

“I’ve never flown in an aeroplane.”

=> She denied that she had flown in an aeroplane.

• Explain  

“It’s an easy recipe to follow.”

=> He explained that it was an easy recipe to follow.

• Exclaim/remark               

“What a beautiful baby he is!”

=> She exclaimed/remarked that he was a beautiful baby.

“I promise I’ll call you.”

=> She promised that she would call me.

• Boast    

“I am a brilliant dentist.”

=> He boasted that he was a brilliant dentist.

• Inform sb    

“You will be called for an interview.”

=> He informed me that I would be called for an interview.

• Claim    

“I know the answer.”

=> He claimed that he knew the answer.

“Yes, that is a beautiful hat.”

=> He agreed that it was a beautiful hat.

• Suggest      

“You ought to take the other road.”

=> He suggested that I (should) take the other road.

Explain to Somebody How to Do Something

“This is how you make polite conversation.”

=> He explained to me how to make polite conversation.

Introductory Verbs in Reported Speech | Images

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Ms Phuong Do

Tuesday 27th of April 2021