Reporting Verbs

 When we are deciding which reporting verb to use, we think about the function or the
purpose of the speaker´s words.
 Say, tell, think, and ask are the most common reporting verbs but we often use others to
report what people said.

Examples:

 “Remember to download the photos”…He reminded me to download the photos.

 “I´ll sign the document later”…She promised to sign it up later.

Repoted Statements and Tense changes:

 It is usual for the verb in the reported clause to move one tense back:
o Present => Past
o Present Perfect => Past Perfect
o Past => Past Perfect

Examples:

 “I´m going” ….He said he was going.

 “She has passed her test” ….”He told me she had passed her test”
 “My father died when I was six”… She said her father had died when she was six.

NOTE: There is NO verb tense change if:

 The reporting verb is in the present tense (says, asks)

o “The train will be late”….He says the train will be late.
 The reported speech is about something that is still true.
o “I hate soccer” …I told him I hate soccer.

Patters found in Reporting Verbs:

Verb + base form:

 She promised to investigate the story.

 (agree, offer, promise, refuse, threaten)

Verb + someone + base form:

 He asked the photographer to send the files.

 (advice, ask, convince, encourage, invite, persuade, remind, tell, urge, warn)
Verb + ing:

 He admitted faking the document.

 (advice, admit, deny, mention, propose, recommend, suggest, think)

Verb + preposition + ing:

 He complained about working long hours.

 apologize for, complain about, insist on, object to

Verb + someone + preposition + ing:

 The editor blamed him for not checking the facts.

 Accuse…of, blame….for, compliment….on, congratulate…on, criticize ….for,
forgive…for, thank…for, warn….about

Modal verbs in Repoted Speech:

While some modal change, others stay the same. Let´s analyze:

 Can => Could

 Will => Would
 May => Might

Examples:

 “She can type well”….He told me she could type well.

 “ I’ ll help you”…She said she’d help me.
 “ I may come”…She said she might come.

Some modals that don’t change are:

 Should
 Might
 Must

Examples:

 “You should go to bed”…He told me I should go to bed.

 “It might rain”…She said she thought it might rain.
 “I must go”…He said he (must/had to) go.