verb.
|convince|notify |reassure|tell |
|inform |persuade|remind | |
He told me that he was a farmer.
I informed her that I could not come.
The word ‘that’ is often omitted after ‘tell’.
I told them you were at the dentist.
You can also mention the hearer as the object of the verb with ‘promise’
and ‘warn’.
I promised her that I wouldn't be late.
Note the differences between ‘say’ and ‘tell’. You cannot use ‘say’ with
the hearer as the object of the verb. You cannot say ‘I said them you had
gone’. You cannot use ‘tell’ without the hearer as the object of the verb.
You cannot say ‘I told that you had gone’. You cannot use ‘tell’ with ‘to’
and the hearer. You cannot say ‘I told to them you had gone’.
The reporting verbs that have the hearer as object, such as ‘tell’, can be
used in the passive.
She was told that there were no tickets left.
Most reporting verbs that do not need the hearer as object, such as ‘say’,
can be used in the passive with impersonal ‘it’ as subject, but not
‘answer’, ‘complain’, ‘insist’, ‘promise’, ‘reply’, or ‘warn’.
It was said that the money had been stolen.
Other report structures
Main points
o When reporting an order, a request, or a piece of advice, the reported
clause is a 'to'-infinitive clause, used after an object
o When reporting a question, the reported clause is an 'if-clause or a 'wh'-
word clause
o Many reporting verbs refer to people's thoughts and feelings
If you want to report an order a request or a piece of advice you use a
‘to’-infinitive clause after a reporting verb such as ‘tell’ ‘ask’ or
‘advise’. You mention the hearer as the object of the verb before the ‘to’-
infinitive clause.
|advise |command |invite |remind |
|ask |forbid |order |tell |
|beg |instruct |persuade |warn |
Johnson told her to wake him up.
He ordered me to fetch the books.
He asked her to marry him.
He advised me to buy it.
If the order request or advice is negative you put ‘not’ before the ‘to’-
infinitive.
He had ordered his officers not to use weapons.
She asked her staff not to discuss it publicly.
Doctors advised him not to play for three weeks.
If the subject of the ‘to’-infinitive clause is the same as the subject of
the main verb you can use ‘ask’ or ‘beg’ to report a request without
mentioning the hearer.
I asked to see the manager.
Both men begged not to be named.
If you want to report a question you use a verb such as ‘ask’ followed by
an ‘if’-clause or a ‘wh’-word clause.
I asked if I could stay with them.
They wondered whether the time was right.
He asked me where I was going.
She inquired how Abraham was getting on.
Note that in reported questions the subject of the question comes before
the verb just as it does in affirmative sentences.
Many reporting verbs refer to people’s thoughts and feelings but are often
used to report what people say. For example if someone says ‘I must go’ you
might report this as ‘She wanted to go’ or ‘She thought she should go’.
Some of these verbs are followed by:
a ‘that’-clause
|accept |fear |imagine |think |
|believe |feel |know |understan|
| | | |d |
|consider |guess |suppose |worry |
We both knew that the town was cut off.
I had always believed that I would see him again.
a ‘to’ infinitive clause
|intend |plan |want |
He doesn’t want to get up.
a ‘that’-clause or a ‘to’-infinitive clause
|agree |expect |hope |regret |wish |
|decide |forget |prefer |remember | |
She hoped she wasn’t going to cry.
They are in love and wish to marry.
‘Expect’ and ‘prefer’ can also be followed by an object and a ‘to’-
infinitive.
I m sure she doesn’t expect you to take the plane.
The headmaster prefers them to act plays they have written themselves.
A speaker's exact words are more often used in stories than in ordinary
conversation
‘I knew I’d seen you,’ I said.
‘Only one replied,’ the Englishman.
‘Let’ s go and have a look at the swimming pool,’ she suggested.
In ordinary conversation it is normal to use a report structure rather than
to repeat someone's exact words.
Practice
1. Match the reports with the actual words used.
Example: 1 – h;
1. They said they had to go.
2. He said he would help if he could.
3. She promised she would visit us.
4. He suggested that we should write to the boss.
5. They insisted we should stay a bit longer.
6. They complained that they were too busy.
7. She mentioned that she had met you.
8. I explained that they should send a letter.
a. ‘You can’t leave yet. It’s only eleven o’clock.’
b. ‘Well, I’ll do whatever I can for you.’
c. ‘If I were you I would get in touch with the manager.’
d. ‘I bumped into your brother in London yesterday.’
e. ‘It’s no good just telephoning. Put something in writing.’
f. ‘I’ll certainly come and see you some time.’
g. ‘We have far too much work at the moment.’
h. ‘I’m afraid it’s time for us to leave.’
2. Use the appropriate form of these verbs to complete the definitions and
examples.
|admit announce argue complain deny mention |
|explain inform |
1. If you __inform__ someone that something is the case, you tell them
about it. EG I __informed__ her that I was unwell and could not come to
her party.
2. If you __________ something, you agree, often reluctantly, that it is
true. EG I must __________ that I had my doubts.
3. When you __________ something, you say that it not true. EG Green
__________ that he had done anything illegal.
4. If you __________ something, you tell people about it publicly or
officially. EG It was __________ that the Prime Minister would speak on
television that evening.
5. If you __________ , you tell someone about a situation affecting you
that is wrong or unsatisfactory. EG He __________ that the office was not
‘businesslike’.
6. If you __________ something, you say it, but do not spend long talking
about it. EG I __________ to Tom that I was thinking of going back to
work.
7. If you __________ something, you describe it so that it can be
understood. EG He __________ that they had to buy a return ticket.
8. If you __________ that something is the case, you state your opinion
about it and give reasons why you think it is true. EG Some people
__________ that nuclear weapons have helped to keep the peace.
3. Use one of the words given in brackets to complete each of the sentences
below.
1. I _explained_ to him that he would have to wait. (explained / told)
2. He __________ me that it was time to go. (mentioned / informed)
3. She __________ to them that they should reconsider their decision.
(suggested / persuaded)
4. We were __________ that you would pay the bill. (told / said)
5. It was __________ that there would be another meeting the following
week. (informed / announced)
6. George __________ to me that he might look in to see me. (promised /
mentioned)
4. Rewrite the sentences below as orders or requests with a ‘to’-infinitive
clause, and the words in brackets.
Example: ‘Do you think you could look after the children?’ (David / ask /
Mary)
David asked Mary to look after the children.
1. ‘I think you should try to get more sleep.’ (John’s doctor / advise /
him)
2. ‘You can come round and see us any time.’ (We / invite / our friends)
3. ‘Will you take the money to the bank, please?’ (Jack / tell / me)
4. ‘Don’t forget to come half an hour early on Tuesday.’ (Mr Brown / remind
/ the students)
5. ‘Please write to me every day.’ (Bill / beg / Maria)
Now do these with not and ‘to’-infinitive clause.
6. ‘You shouldn’t play with fire.’ (I / warn / the children)
7. ‘I don’t think you should go to England in the winter.’ (My grandfather
/ advise / me)
8. ‘You really ought not to go out alone after dark.’ (They / tell / the
visitors)
9. ‘Please don’t make an official complaint.’ (The manger / persuade / her)
5. Now do these sentences with ask and a ‘wh'-word clause.
Example: ‘What time does the match start please?’ (I / a policeman)
I asked a policeman what time the match started.
1. ‘Where are you going to spend the holiday?’ (Joe / Mary)
2. ‘Why are the tickets so expensive?’ (Everybody / us)
3. ‘How old are Mary’s children?’ (Frank / his wife)
4. ‘Who’s going to buy your house?’ (Mrs Jones / her neighbour)
5. ‘When are you planning to come to Darlington?’ (Bill / his friend)
6. ‘What are you going to do next?’ (I / Maria)
7. ‘Were can I get the bus to Liverpool?’ (Peter / a policeman)
6. In this exercise you have to write what you would say in these
situations.
Example: Ann says ‘I’m tired’. Five minutes later she says ‘Let’s play
tennis’. What do you say? You said you were tired.
1. Your friend says ‘I’m hungry’ so you go to a restaurant. When you get
there he says ‘I don’t want to eat’. What do you say? You said
2. Tom tells you ‘Ann has gone away’. Later that day you meet her. What do
you say?
Tom told
3. George said ‘I don’t smoke’. A few days later you see him smoking a
cigarette. What do you say to him? You said
4. You arranged to meet Jack. He said ‘I won’t be late’. At last he arrives
– 20 minutes late. What do you say? You
5. Sue said ‘I can’t come to the party tonight’. That night you see her at
the party. What do you say to her?
