I Promise Not to Do It Again

Reporting Verbs

Download this caption in PDF here.
Try an exercise about reporting verbs here.

In the page almost reported speech, we talked about how to change straight voice communication ("I dear coffee") into reported speech (Seonaid said that she loved coffee), using the verbs 'say', 'tell' and 'ask'. However, we can also use many other verbs to report what someone said, like 'promise', 'warn', 'suggest' and 'recommend'.

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

(Equally I'm sure you know, we tin can often choose if we want to apply 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to prove that information technology's optional. The meaning is exactly the same if you employ 'that' or if you don't employ 'that'.)

1: SAY

Permit'south wait first at the verbs we've already talked nearly. The bones 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".)

2: TELL

On the other hand, with 'tell' nosotros need to use an object, a person who we tell the information to. See likewise my folio well-nigh the difference between 'say' and 'tell' hither.

tell + someone + (that) + clause

I told John (that) I had seen the new moving picture.

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

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

tell + someone + to + infinitive

She told the children to go to bed.

3: Inquire

Nosotros use 'ask' to report questions or requests. For questions nosotros use the pattern:

enquire + someone + if / question word + clause

I asked my dominate if I could get out early on.
She asked them where the station was.

For requests we employ the blueprint:

enquire + someone + to + infinitive

I asked Lucy to pass me the common salt.

(Remember, my beginning two examples with 'ask' are no longer real questions, so we utilise the normal sentence give-and-take lodge. We don't utilize inversion. We say 'she asked them where the station was', NOT ~~'she asked them where was the station'~~. Yous can read more near this on my page about indirect questions and on my page about reported speech.)

Other reporting verbs follow a variety of patterns. I'm afraid in that location aren't any rules about which verbs follow which patterns. You demand to larn each one.

four: Suggest*

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

Advise + someone + to + infinitive

She advised him to run into a doctor.

Propose + (that) + clause

The staff advise that you carry water at all times.

Advise + against + verb-ing

I'd suggest confronting leaving early on.

5: Concord

Agree + to + infinitive

We agreed to meet the post-obit 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 united states of america for existence tardily.
She apologised for forgetting the volume.

Apologise (+ to + someone) + for + noun

She apologised for the filibuster.

seven: DECIDE

Decide + to + infinitive

They decided to go to the cinema.

Decide + (that) + clause

They decided that they would go to the movie theatre.

8: ENCOURAGE

Encourage + someone + to + infinitive

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

9: Explain

Explain + (that) + clause

The teacher explained that the course was finished.

Explicate + noun + to + someone

She explained the grammer to the students.

Non: ~~She explained me the grammer.~~

Explain + question word + to + infinitive

They explained how to buy a railroad train ticket on the internet.
John explained where to discover the eating place.

Explain + question word + clause

Nosotros explained what the exams would comprehend.

10: INSIST*

Insist + on + verb-ing

He insisted on paying.

Insist + (that) + clause

He insisted that we sit downwardly.

11: Promise

Promise + to + infinitive

He promised to arrive early.

Promise + (someone) + (that) + clause

I promised him that I wouldn't practise 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

13: REMIND

Remind + someone + to + infinitive

She reminded him to take his keys.

Remind + someone + (that) + clause

They reminded me that at that place is a political party this night.

14: Suggest*

Suggest + verb-ing

I propose leaving presently

Suggest + (that) + clause

I suggest that you lot come up equally presently as yous can.

NOT: ~~I suggest him to come.~~

xv: WARN

Warn + someone + (not) + to + infinitive

I warned them non to get in the water.

Warn + someone + almost + something

She warned united states nearly the dangerous roads.

Negatives
To make the verbs that we have reported negative, we need to expect 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', nosotros generally put 'not' before 'to': He promised not to practise it again.
When at that place's 'verb-ing', nosotros mostly put 'not' in front of it: I propose not taking the double-decker.

Endeavour an exercise virtually reporting verbs here.

* Avant-garde Point
In formal English language, some verbs that are followed past '(that) + clause' use the infinitive instead of a present tense verb. Some people advise that this is a kind of subjunctive in English. You only need to worry almost this in very formal writing.

Mostly, this doesn't make a deviation, because the present simple course in English is often the aforementioned as the infinitive form. But when the subject is 'he', 'she' or 'it' or when the verb is 'be', nosotros can come across it clearly.

I advise that he go to bed early. (Normally we'd expect: I suggest that he goes to bed early.)
I insist that she come at present. (Normally we'd wait: 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 nighttime.)

Need more practice? Become more Perfect English Grammar with our courses.