Reporting verbs describe what someone has said. These verbs have different structures.

QUESTIONS: ASK, WONDER, WANT TO KNOW, ETC + IF/WHETHER /WH-WORD + SUBJ + VB +

Ex: *They said, “Do you like tea?” They wanted to know if I liked tea
* Peter said to her, “Where did you go yesterday”, Peter asked her where she had gone the day before.

COMMANDS: TELL, ORDER, REMIND, ASK, BEG, ADVISE, WARN, INVITE, ENCOURAGE,
PERSUADE, ETC + SOMEONE + TO DO SOMETHING.
Ex: * The teacher said to the students, “Be quiet, please” The teacher told the students to be quiet
* “Would you mind opening the window?”, Mary said Mary asked me to open the window.

STATEMENTS
- OBJECT + THAT : TELL
• Ex: Peter said to her, “I saw you yesterday”
Peter told her that he had seen her the previous day.
- + THAT: SAY, EXPLAIN, DECLARE, ANNOUNCE, PREDICT, REPLY, EXCLAIM, AGREE,
• Ex: “Yes, you’re right, the weather is horrible today”, he said
He agreed that the weather was horrible that day.
- DOING SOMETHING: SUGGEST, RECOMMEND, DENY, ADMIT,
• Ex: “Ok, it was me. I ate your ice-cream”, Mary said
Mary admitted eating my ice-cream
- TO DO SOMETHING: AGREE, OFFER, REFUSE, PROMISE, PREFER, THREATEN,
FORGET
• Ex: “I won’t be late”, Peter said
Peter promised not to be late
- SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING: RECOMMEND, REMIND
• Ex: “Remember you have to go to the supermarket”, Mary said
Mary reminded me to go the supermarket.
- APOLOGISE FOR DOING SOMETHING
APOLOGISE TO SOMEONE FOR DOING SOMETHING
• Ex: She said, “, I’m sorry, I made a horrible mistake”
She apologized for making a horrible mistake
- CONGRATULATE SOMEONE ON SOMETHING
- CONGRATULATE SOMEONE ON DOING SOMETHING
• Ex: “Congratulations, you win the lottery”, She said
She congratulated me on winning the lottery.
- COMPLAIN TO SOMEONE ABOUT SOMETHING
• Ex: “The soup is hot”, the child said
The child complained about the soup.
- INSIST ON DOING SOMETHING
- THANK SOMEONE FOR SOMETHING
- BLAME SOMEONE FOR DOING SOMETHING
- ACCUSE SOMEONE OF DOING SOMETHING
• “You cheated in the test”, the teacher said to the student.
The teacher accused the student of cheating in the test.
LET’S PRACTICE
1. “I won’t help you”, she said. ______________________________________________
2. “She stole the diamond ring”, he said. _______________________________________
3. “Don’t forget to phone me” she said. _______________________________________
4. “I’m sorry, I was late”, she said. __________________________________________
5. “The coffee is hot”, he said. ______________________________________________
6. “I’ll go with you to the doctor”, Peter said. ___________________________________
7. “Let’s go to the cinema”, Mary said. _________________________________________
8. “How nice to see you”, She said ____________________________________________
9. I’ll give you back your money tomorrow”, John said. _____________________________
10. I’ll carry these bags for you”, Pam said ______________________________________
11.”I won’t give you my sandwich”, the boy said. _________________________________
12. “I didn’t break the chair”, the girl said. _____________________________________
13. “Please, please, help me”, she said. ________________________________________
14. Yes, you have a good idea”, my boss said. ____________________________________
15. “Congratulations, you passed your test”, he said. _______________________________
16” You should give up smoking”, he said. _______________________________________
17. “Shall I help you”, Mary said. _____________________________________________
18. “I’d rather go to the cinema”, she said. _____________________________________
19. “I’m not going to phone your cousin” Pam said. ________________________________
20. “I didn’t do it”, he said. _________________________________________________
21. “I lend you the money if you need it”, Peter said. _____________________________
22. “Shall I take you home?” ,she said. ________________________________________
23. “Why don’t we go to the disco?” ,they said. __________________________________
24. “Stop shouting”, the teacher said. _________________________________________
25. “All right. We’ll go to London”, Mary said. ____________________________________
26. “You stole the money”, the policeman said. ___________________________________
27. “I’m sorry, I told you a lie”, the child said. ___________________________________
28. “What a wonderful day!” the woman said. ____________________________________
29. “I’ll tell the teacher if you cheat”, the student said. ____________________________
30. “I didn’t take your pencil”, the pupil said. ____________________________________
31. “You broke my new Cd”, John said. _________________________________________
32. “Let’s buy an ice-cream”, the children said. __________________________________
33. “Please, please, stop talking! my friend said. _________________________________
34. “This book is very boring”, the boy said. ____________________________________
35. “I don’t want to tidy up my bedroom”, the girl said. ____________________________
36. “Yes, I broke your pen”, the boy said. ______________________________________
37. “Shall I help you”, the man said. ___________________________________________
38. “Congratulations!, You won the prize”, the lady said. ___________________________