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One of the biggest hurdles my advanced learners face is mastering reported speech — the grammar construction that lets you tell someone what another person said. The challenge isn’t just the tense shifts; it’s choosing the right introductory verb. English has dozens of them, and each one carries a different tone and grammar pattern. Miss the pattern, and your sentence falls apart.
You’ll breaks down the four main patterns of introductory verbs in reported speech, organised by grammar structure. You’ll see dozens of verbs with real examples, plus a dialogue and quiz to lock in the patterns.
Key Takeaways
- Four patterns exist — Verb + infinitive, Verb + sb + infinitive, Verb + -ing, Verb + that-clause. Each has its own verbs.
- Pattern determines grammar — “Agree to go” not “agree going”. Learn the pattern, not random verbs.
- Common verbs, consistent structures — Some verbs fit multiple patterns (e.g., “promise” and “suggest”), but most stick to one.
- Tone matters — “Insist” sounds urgent; “suggest” sounds gentle. Pick the verb that matches the original speaker’s intent.
- Practice in full sentences — Isolated verb lists mean nothing. Use them in context or they won’t stick.
What Is Reported Speech?
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) lets you tell someone what another person said without quoting them directly. Instead of repeating their exact words, you report the idea — and you use an introductory verb to signal how they said it.
Direct speech: Maya said, “I’m tired.”
Reported speech: Maya said (that) she was tired.
But English offers way more finesse than that. If Maya sounded desperate, you’d use “complained” or “admitted”. If she sounded casual, you’d use “mentioned”. The introductory verb tells the listener not just what was said, but how it was said — the tone, the urgency, the emotion.
Pattern 1: Verb + To + Infinitive
In this pattern, the verb is followed directly by to + infinitive. Use this when the subject (the person speaking) is the same as the subject of the infinitive.
| Verb | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Agree | “Yes, I’ll cook for you.” | He agreed to cook for her. |
| Offer | “Would you like me to carry your bag?” | He offered to carry her bag. |
| Refuse | “No, I won’t buy you a car.” | She refused to buy him a car. |
| Demand | “Tell me the truth.” | He demanded to be told the truth. |
| Threaten | “Behave or I’ll punish you.” | He threatened to punish me if I didn’t behave. |
| Promise | “I’ll marry you when I return.” | He promised to marry her when he returned. |
| Claim | “I heard her say that.” | He claimed to have heard her say that. |
Grammar note: With “demand”, the infinitive often becomes passive: “demanded to be told” instead of “demanded to tell”.
Pattern 2: Verb + Someone + To + Infinitive
This pattern is used when the introductory verb takes an object (someone) before the infinitive. The person performing the action in the infinitive is different from the subject of the main verb.
| Verb | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Advise | “You should take a coat.” | He advised me to take a coat. |
| Ask | “Could you babysit for me on Friday?” | She asked me to babysit for her on Friday. |
| Allow | “You can park over there.” | He allowed me to park over there. |
| Beg | “Please call the police.” | She begged me to call the police. |
| Command | “Drop your weapons!” | He commanded them to drop their weapons. |
| Encourage | “Go ahead, phone her.” | He encouraged me to phone her. |
| Forbid | “You mustn’t eat sweets.” | My doctor forbade me to eat sweets. |
| Invite | “Would you like to come to my house?” | She invited me to come to her house. |
| Order | “Get out of bed!” | She ordered me to get out of bed. |
| Permit | “You may travel with your friends.” | My parents permitted me to travel with my friends. |
| Remind | “Don’t forget to take out the garbage.” | She reminded me to take out the garbage. |
| Urge | “Finish reading the book.” | He urged me to finish reading the book. |
| Warn | “Don’t go near the oven.” | She warned me not to go near the oven. |
Grammar note: With negative imperatives, add “not” before the infinitive: “warned me not to go”.
Pattern 3: Verb + -ing Form (Gerund)
This pattern uses the -ing form of the verb, often with a preposition attached to the introductory verb. These verbs usually report actions, accusations, or confessions.
| Verb (+ Preposition) | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Admit (to) | “Yes, I stole her money.” | He admitted (to) stealing her money. |
| Accuse (of) | “You broke the cup.” | She accused me of breaking the cup. |
| Apologise (for) | “I’m sorry I shouted at you.” | He apologised for shouting at me. |
| Boast (about / of) | “I’m the cleverest of all.” | He boasted of being the cleverest of all. |
| Complain (of / about) | “I have a toothache.” | She complained of having a toothache. |
| Deny | “No, I didn’t murder my wife.” | He denied murdering his wife. |
| Insist (on) | “You must wear warm clothes.” | She insisted on me wearing warm clothes. |
| Suggest | “Let’s go to the theatre.” | She suggested going to the theatre. |
Grammar note: Some of these verbs allow both a simple -ing form and a perfect form (having stolen, having heard). The perfect form emphasises that the action happened in the past.
Tip: “Insist on” can take either a gerund (“She insisted on leaving”) or a possessive + gerund (“She insisted on me leaving” or “She insisted on my leaving”). Both are correct, though the possessive form is more formal.
Pattern 4: Verb + That-Clause
This is the most flexible pattern. It uses a that-clause (which can sometimes be omitted in speech). The grammar inside the that-clause follows normal tense-shift rules for reported speech.
| Verb | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Admit | “I ate all the cake.” | He admitted (that) he had eaten all the cake. |
| Agree | “Yes, that is a beautiful hat.” | He agreed (that) it was a beautiful hat. |
| Boast | “I am a brilliant dentist.” | He boasted (that) he was a brilliant dentist. |
| Claim | “I know the answer.” | He claimed (that) he knew the answer. |
| Complain | “You’re always late.” | She complained (that) I was always late. |
| Deny | “I’ve never flown in an aeroplane.” | She denied (that) she had flown in an aeroplane. |
| Exclaim / Remark | “What a beautiful baby he is!” | She exclaimed (that) he was a beautiful baby. |
| Explain | “It’s an easy recipe.” | He explained (that) it was an easy recipe to follow. |
| Inform | “You will be called for an interview.” | He informed me (that) I would be called for an interview. |
| Promise | “I promise I’ll call you.” | She promised (that) she would call him. |
| Suggest | “You ought to take the other road.” | He suggested (that) I (should) take the other road. |
Grammar note: In formal English, “should” is optional after “suggest”: “suggested (that) I take” or “suggested (that) I should take”.
Special Pattern: “Explain How to Do Something”
When reporting instructions, use “explain how to” or “tell sb how to”.
Example: Direct speech: “This is how you make polite conversation.”
Reported: He explained to me how to make polite conversation.
Common Mistakes with Reported Speech Verbs
Mistake 1: Using the Wrong Grammar Pattern
✗ Incorrect: “He agreed going to the party.”
✓ Correct: “He agreed to go to the party.”
Why: “Agree” takes Pattern 1 (to + infinitive), not -ing form. Mixing patterns breaks the grammar.
Mistake 2: Forgetting the Object Pronoun
✗ Incorrect: “She asked to come with us.”
✓ Correct: “She asked (me) if she could come with us.” OR “She asked to come with us.” (only if it’s her own decision)
Why: If the subject is asking someone else to do something, you need the object. “Ask to + infinitive” works only when the subject is asking for permission or asking for themselves.
Mistake 3: Wrong Preposition with Gerund Verbs
✗ Incorrect: “She insisted in wearing warm clothes.”
✓ Correct: “She insisted on wearing warm clothes.”
Why: Different verbs pair with different prepositions. “Insist on”, not “insist in”. Learn the verb + preposition as a unit.
Sample Dialogue: Reporting What People Said
A: So what did your boss say about the project deadline?
B: She warned me that we had only two weeks left. Then she demanded that I finish the draft by Friday.
A: That sounds intense. Did she seem angry?
B: Not angry—just urgent. She explained that the client was getting impatient. She also offered to give me extra resources if I needed them.
A: That’s fair. What did you say?
B: I assured her that I’d have it ready. But I also reminded her that I was already working overtime.
Quick Quiz
Choose the Correct Reported Speech Form
- Direct: “You should take a break.” Reported: He ___ me ___ a break.
A) advised / to take B) advised / taking C) told / to take - Direct: “I didn’t steal the money.” Reported: He ___ ___ the money.
A) denied stealing B) refused to steal C) denied to steal - Direct: “Let’s go to the cinema.” Reported: She ___ ___ to the cinema.
A) suggested to go B) suggested going C) offered to go - Direct: “You must wear a helmet.” Reported: He ___ ___ ___ a helmet.
A) insisted me wearing B) insisted on me wearing C) insisted to wear - Direct: “I promise I’ll call you tomorrow.” Reported: She ___ that she ___ call me the next day.
A) promised / would B) promised / will C) assured / would
Answers: 1. A (advised me to take) · 2. A (denied stealing) · 3. B (suggested going) · 4. B (insisted on me wearing) · 5. A (promised that she would)
Related Articles
- Tense Changes in Reported Speech — how to shift tenses when reporting
- ↑ Back to pillar: English Speaking & Pronunciation
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between “say” and “tell” in reported speech?
“Say” doesn’t take an object — you “say something to someone” (with “to”). “Tell” takes an object — you “tell someone something”. In reported speech, use “say” for general statements and “tell” when you’re reporting a direct communication to someone.
Can I use “that” in all reported speech?
In Pattern 4 (that-clause), yes — “that” is often optional in speech. But in Patterns 1–3, you cannot use “that”. You use infinitives or -ing forms instead.
What verb should I use when the speaker’s tone is neutral or I’m not sure?
Use “said”, “stated”, “mentioned”, or “told”. These are safe, neutral choices. Once you’re sure of the speaker’s emotional tone, switch to more specific verbs.
Do British and American English use different introductory verbs?
The same verbs are used, but sometimes with slight preference differences. For example, “said” and “told” work the same way in both. Stick to the patterns and you’ll be correct in both varieties.
How many of these verbs do I need to learn?
Start with 5–10 verbs per pattern. Master those, then gradually add more. You’ll recognise the patterns first, then the specific verbs.
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