Reporting verbs

• We don’t always use say or tell to report someone’s words. We often use other reporting verbs to summarise what someone said: ‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ Lisa said. – Lisa apologised for being late. ‘ I didn’t steal the money, ’ Joe said. – Joe den........................... ied stealing the money.

• We use the following structures. The verbs marked * can be followed by more than one structure:

verb + to-infinitive agree*, offer, promise*, refuse	She offered to giveus a lift. Mike refused to helpme.
verb + object + to-infinitive advise, invite, persuade*, remind*, warn*	1 advised him not to leave. He reminded me tophone Tim.
verb (+ object)+ -ing form admit*, accuse somebody of, apologise for, congratulate somebody on, deny*, suggest*	She admitted lyingto me. He accused me of stealing. We suggested gettinga taxi.
verb+ that clause admit*, agree*, complain, deny*, explain, promise*, suggest*	1 agreed that I’d madea mistake. She denied that she’d cheated. 1 promised that i’d bethere.
verb + object+ that clause inform, persuade*, remind*, warn*	The waiter informed us thatour table was ready.

Report the statements. Use the verbs in the box.

	accused advised agreed apologised denied invited offered refused warned

0 ‘Yes, OK. I’ll book the tennis court for Monday,’ Jack said.

Jack...... agreed to book...... the tennis court for Mounday.

1 ‘No, I’m not going to pay for your ticket,’ he told me.

He........................... for my ticket.

2 ‘I didn’t start the fight!’ Scott said.

Skott........................... the fight.

3 ‘Don’t go near that dog,’ he told us.

He........................... near the dog.

4 ‘You took my money!’ he told Emma.

He........................... his money.

5 ‘I’m sorry I shouted at you,’ she said.

She........................... at me.

6 ‘Would you like to play volleyball with us?’ Kim’s sister asked me.

Kim’s sister........................... volleyball with them.

7 ‘Shall I wrap the chocolates for you?’ the shop assistant asked me.

8 The shop assistant the chocolates for me.

The shop assistant........................... the chocolates for me.

9 ‘I think you should do engineering,’ his tutor said.

His tutor........................... engineering.

Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using the word in bold. Use between two and five words.

0 ‘You’ll get your exam results on 7th May,’ the principal told us. informed

The principal...... informed us that we’d......get our exam results on 7th May.

1 ‘My computer’s very slow,’ Becky said. complained

Becky........................... very slow.

2 ‘The bus is much cheaper than the train,’ Jamie said. explained

Jamie........................... much cheaper than the train.

3 ‘We’re meeting Adam tonight,’ I told Mark. reminded

I........................... meeting Adam that night.

4 ‘I don’t do enough exercise,’ he said. admitted

He........................... do enough exercise.

5 ‘I’ll call you tomorrow,’ he said. promised

He........................... me the next day.

6 ‘I didn’t give him the password,’ she said. denied

She........................... him the password.