6. SOME MORE REPORTING VERBS

Grammar · Reported Speech

More Reporting Verbs (by Function)

Using a variety of reporting verbs makes your English sound more natural, precise, and advanced. Here are some of the most common reporting verbs, grouped by function, with clear examples and key grammar patterns.

1. Reporting Verbs by Function

🔹 Statements (neutral / factual)

said, told, explained, stated, mentioned, added

Use these when simply reporting information.

• He said that he was tired.
• She explained that the problem was difficult.
• They mentioned that they were leaving early.

🔹 Agreement / Disagreement

agreed, disagreed, refused

These verbs show whether someone accepts or rejects something.

• He agreed to help me.
• She refused to answer the question.
• They disagreed with the decision.

🔹 Truth / Lies / Responsibility

admitted, denied, confessed

Use these when talking about honesty, guilt, or responsibility.

• He admitted stealing the money.
• She denied breaking the window.
• He confessed to lying.

👉 These verbs are especially important because they often use -ing forms:
admitted doing · denied doing · confessed to doing

🔹 Opinions / Feelings

claimed, insisted, argued, complained

These verbs express opinions, arguments, or complaints.

• He claimed that he was innocent.
• She insisted that she was right.
• They complained about the noise.

🔹 Promises / Decisions

promised, offered, decided

Use these for intentions, plans, and decisions.

• He promised to call me.
• She offered to help.
• They decided to leave early.

👉 These usually follow verb + to-infinitive.

🔹 Orders / Requests (extra variety)

begged, warned, reminded, encouraged

These verbs add nuance to commands and requests.

• She begged him to stay.
• He warned us not to go there.
• She reminded me to call her.
• They encouraged us to try again.

2. Key Patterns (Very Important)

Here is a quick summary you can use as a reference:

Verb Type	Structure	Example
admit / deny	verb + -ing	He admitted stealing the money.
promise / offer	verb + to-infinitive	She offered to help.
suggest / recommend	-ing OR that + clause	He suggested going. / He suggested that we should go.
tell / order	object + to-infinitive	He told me to wait.
say / claim	that + clause	She said that she was tired.

Quick tip: if you learn the verb together with its pattern, reported speech becomes much easier. For example, do not just learn admit — learn admit + -ing.

Why use a variety of reporting verbs?

Using different reporting verbs helps you avoid repetition, sound more fluent, and express meaning more precisely. Instead of repeating said all the time, you can show whether someone admitted, promised, refused, insisted, or warned something.

6. REPORTING SUGGESTIONS AND PIECES OF ADVICE

Reported Suggestions: 10 Sentences

Change each suggestion into reported speech. Use structures like suggest + -ing or suggest/advise/recommend + that + subject + (should). Pay attention to time, place, demonstratives, and possessives.

Shifts: now → then | today → that day | tomorrow → the next day | here → there | this → that | these → those | my → his/her | our → their

1

She suggested: “Let’s start this project today.”

She suggested starting that project that day. / She suggested that we should start that project that day.

2

He recommended: “Let’s meet here tomorrow.”

He recommended meeting there the next day. / He recommended that we should meet there the next day.

3

The teacher advised us: “Let’s review these exercises now.”

The teacher advised us to review those exercises then.

4

She proposed: “Let’s finish our homework tonight.”

She proposed finishing their homework that night.

5

He suggested to me: “Let’s visit this place today.”

He suggested visiting that place that day.

6

They recommended: “Let’s bring these documents tomorrow.”

They recommended bringing those documents the next day. / They recommended that we should bring those documents the next day.

7

My friend advised me: “Let’s study here now.”

My friend advised me to study there then.

8

The guide suggested: “Let’s take this route today.”

The guide suggested taking that route that day. / The guide suggested that we should take that route that day.

9

She recommended: “Let’s use our notes tomorrow.”

She recommended using their notes the next day. / She recommended that we should use their notes the next day.

10

He proposed: “Let’s solve these problems now.”

He proposed solving those problems then. / He proposed that we should solve those problems then.

11

She suggested: “Let’s not go there today.”

She suggested not going there that day. / She suggested that we should not go there that day.

12

He recommended: “Let’s not use these tools now.”

He recommended not using those tools then. / He recommended that we should not use those tools then.

13

The teacher advised us: “Let’s not forget our homework tomorrow.”

The teacher advised us not to forget their homework the next day. / The teacher advised that we should not forget our homework the next day.

6. REPORTING COMMANDS AND ORDERS

Reported Orders & Commands (Time + Demonstratives)

Transform into reported speech. Pay attention to time expressions AND reference words (here → there, this → that, these → those).

Tip:
now → then | today → that day | tomorrow → the next day | here → there | this → that | these → those
my → his/her | your → my/his/her | our → their

1

The teacher instructed the students: “Open these books now.”

The teacher instructed the students to open those books then.

2

Her mother ordered her: “Clean this room today.”

Her mother ordered her to clean that room that day.

3

The doctor advised me: “Take this medicine tomorrow.”

The doctor advised me to take that medicine the next day.

4

The coach urged the players: “Run faster here now.”

The coach urged the players to run faster there then.

5

The boss commanded us: “Finish this report today.”

The boss commanded us to finish that report that day.

6

The police officer ordered the driver: “Stop this car here.”

The police officer ordered the driver to stop that car there.

7

She told me: “Wait here now.”

She told me to wait there then.

8

The librarian reminded the children: “Read these books today.”

The librarian reminded the children to read those books that day.

9

The manager instructed the staff: “Wear these badges tomorrow.”

The manager instructed the staff to wear those badges the next day.

10

My father told me: “Turn off these lights tonight.”

My father told me to turn off those lights that night.

11

The teacher warned us: “Don’t use these phones today.”

The teacher warned us not to use those phones that day.

12

My mother forbade me: “Don’t touch this stove now.”

My mother forbade me to touch that stove then.

13

The sign warned visitors: “Do not feed these animals here.”

The sign warned visitors not to feed those animals there.

14

The officer commanded them: “Don’t stand here now.”

The officer commanded them not to stand there then.

15

She advised him: “Don’t forget this tomorrow.”

She advised him not to forget that the next day.

16

The guide instructed us: “Follow me here.”

The guide instructed us to follow him there.

17

The dentist told the patient: “Use this tool now.”

The dentist told the patient to use that tool then.

18

My friend reminded me: “Bring these documents tonight.”

My friend reminded me to bring those documents that night.

19

The captain ordered the soldiers: “Stay here today.”

The captain ordered the soldiers to stay there that day.

20

The receptionist asked the guests: “Sign these forms here today.”

The receptionist asked the guests to sign those forms there that day.

6. REPORTING QUESTIONS

Reported Questions Practice: 20 Sentences

Change each direct question into indirect speech. Each sentence already gives you the subject and reporting verb. Click Show Answer when you want to check your response.

1

He wondered: “Where did you go yesterday?”

He wondered where I had gone the day before.

2

She checked: “Is she at home?”

She checked if she was at home.

3

He wanted to know: “Why are they shouting?”

He wanted to know why they were shouting.

4

She inquired: “Did you finish your homework?”

She inquired whether I had finished my homework.

5

He asked: “What time does the train leave?”

He asked what time the train left.

6

She wondered: “Where is he working now?”

She wondered where he was working then.

7

He checked: “Are you feeling better?”

He checked if I was feeling better.

8

She wanted to know: “Why did he call you?”

She wanted to know why he had called me.

9

He inquired: “Did they understand the instructions?”

He inquired whether they had understood the instructions.

10

She asked: “What are you watching?”

She asked what I was watching.

11

He wondered: “Where have you been all day?”

He wondered where I had been all day.

12

She checked: “Is the door locked?”

She checked if the door was locked.

13

He wanted to know: “Why is she upset?”

He wanted to know why she was upset.

14

She inquired: “Did you buy the tickets?”

She inquired whether I had bought the tickets.

15

He asked: “What time will they arrive?”

He asked what time they would arrive.

16

She wondered: “Where can I find a taxi?”

She wondered where she could find a taxi.

17

He checked: “Is everything ready?”

He checked if everything was ready.

18

She wanted to know: “Why were they arguing?”

She wanted to know why they were arguing.

19

He inquired: “Did he send the email?”

He inquired whether he had sent the email.

20

She asked: “What does this word mean?”

She asked what that word meant.

You can paste this code into a blog post that accepts HTML, or use it as a standalone webpage.

WHETHER AND/OR IF

We know how to use IF. But do we understand how to use WHETHER? Click HERE to learn this grammar point.

FORMAL LETTER TO THE TOWN HALL

Choose the correct word in each gap and click "Check".

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my concern about the poor of my neighbourhood. In recent months, the area has . The streets are not well maintained, the lighting is not , and cleaning services are . As a result, public spaces feel unsafe and .

Many neighbours have already these problems, but we have not seen any clear . This situation makes us feel .

I kindly ask the Town Hall to take . Our neighbourhood should receive the same .

I look forward to .

Yours ,
[Your Name]

5. MODAL VERBS. MORE PRACTICE. KEY ANSWER

PRACTICE WITH SIMPLE AND PERFECT MODALS (1º Bach.)

1. Choose the correct answer

1. You broke my necklace! You … been more careful!

should have

2. It’s beautiful. You … given me a nicer present.

couldn’t have

3. I think James … got lost. He’s never late.

might have

4. I … bought milk, but I didn’t know we needed more.

would have

2. Complete the sentences

1. He __________ (not behave) that way.

shouldn’t have behaved

2. Maggie __________ (write) sooner.

could have written

3. I __________ (not lock) the front door.

might not have locked

4. Something __________ (happen) to Steve.

must have happened

3. Teens in the News

1. Could you use
2. can help
3. couldn’t have thought
4. must have thought
5. shouldn’t have done
6. should have guessed
7. have to write
8. will be able to do

4. Complete with modal perfects

1. might have gone
2. must have thought
3. should have brought
4. couldn’t have bought
5. shouldn’t have told
6. could have stayed
7. couldn’t have been
8. must have packed

5. Rewrite the sentences

1. You shouldn’t have eaten in this restaurant.
2. We might have a test today.
3. I must have left my sunglasses at the café.
4. You don’t have to worry about Ted.
5. You should have asked me earlier.
6. Donella can’t speak English very well.

6. Teens in the News (Complete the passage)

1. had to leave
2. could have confronted
3. would have never caught
4. must have impressed
5. couldn’t have been
6. could have chosen
7. must be able to speak
8. don’t have to know
9. have to study
10. should be
11. can’t wait