REPORTED SPEECH III (reporting verbs)

REPORTED SPEECH 1II

6. REPORTING VERBS

STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED[1]
- You need to decide which reporting verb to use: said, admitted, denied… followed by to + infinitive, gerund or a that clause:
Introductory verb	Direct Speech	Reported Speech
agree        + to infinitive demand offer promise refuse threaten claim	“Yes, I’ll be happy to help you.”  “Tell the truth!” “Would you like me to open the door?” “I’ll definitely be here early.” “No, I won’t lend you any money.” “Hand over your money or I’ll shoot you.” “I saw him steal the car.”	He agreed to help me. He demanded to be told the truth. He offered to open the door. He promised to be there early. He refused to lend me any money. He threatened to shoot me if I didn’t hand over my money. He claimed to have seen him steal the car.
advise + sb. + to infinit. allow ask beg command encourage forbid instruct invite sb. permit remind urge want	“You should see a doctor.” “You can borrow my car.” “Please, turn the light off.” “Please, please stop shouting so loudly.” “Leave the room!” “Go ahead, drive the car.” “You must not arrive late tonight.” “Lift the receiver and wait for the dialling tone.” “Would you like to come out to dinner with me?” “You may leave now.” “Don’t forget to water the plants.” “Try to be punctual.” “I’d like you to study harder.”	He advised me to see a doctor. He allowed me to borrow his car. He asked me to turn the light off. He begged me to stop shouting so loudly. He commanded us to leave the room. He encouraged me to drive the car. He forbade me to arrive late that night. He instructed me to lift the receiver and wait for the dialling tone. He invited me to go out to dinner with him. He permitted/allowed me to leave then. He reminded me to water the plants. He urged me to try to be punctual. He wanted me to study harder.
accuse sb. of    + ing apologise for admit (to) boast about complain to sb. about deny insist on	“You stole my handbag!” “I’m sorry I was rude to you.” “Yes, I broke the window.” “I’m more intelligent than you.” “You always leave the door open.” “No, I didn’t break the window.” “You must take all the medicine.”	She accused me of stealing her handbag. He apologised for being rude to me. He admitted (to) breaking/having broken the window. He boasted about being more intelligent than me. He complained to me about my always leaving the door open. He denied breaking/having broken the window. He insisted on me/my taking all the medicine.
agree       + that clause boast claim complain deny exclaim explain inform sb. promise	“Yes, it’s a great idea.” “I’m the best player of all.” “I know who stole your car.” “You never help me.” “I never touched the vase!” “It’s a success!” “It’s a difficult theory to follow.” “Your application is under review.” “I won’t forget again.”	He agreed that it was a great idea. He boasted that he was the best player of all. He claimed that he knew who had stolen my car. She complained that he never helped her. He denied that he had ever touched the vase. He exclaimed that it was a success. He explained that it was a difficult theory to follow. He informed me that my application was under review. He promised that he wouldn’t forget again.
explain to sb. + how	“That’s how I crashed the car.”	He explained to me how he had crashed the car.
wonder where / what / why / how + clause (when the subject of the introductory verb is not the same as the subject in the reported question)	He asked himself, “How can she do that?” He asked himself, “Where have they gone?” He asked himself, “Why is Tom so rude?” He asked himself, “What will they do?”	He wondered how she could do that. He wondered where they had gone. He wondered why Tom was so rude. He wondered what they would do.
wonder + whether + to infinitive/clause wonder where / what / how + to infinitive (when the subject of the infinitive is the same as the subject of the verb)	He asked himself, “Shall I take the job?” He asked himself, “Where did I leave my glasses?” He asked himself, “What shall I do next?” He asked himself, “How can I break the news?”	He wondered whether to take the job. He wondered whether he should take the job. He wondered where he had left his glasses. He wondered what to do next. He wondered how to break the news.

[1] See Evans, V., FCE Use of English 1, Express Publishers, pages 111-12.