FCE (First Certificate):Reported Speech and Reporting VerbsYou will need to know the rules for reporting speech (statements and questions) as well as the patterns following reporting verbs (e.g. "apologise for doing something"). If you need more information about these rules, look at my lessons forreported speech, andreporting verbs.

"I want to be a doctor," said Tom. Tom toldme(that) he wanted to be a doctor. Tom said (that) he wanted to be a doctor."Will you help me," she asked. She asked (me) if I would help her. She wondered if I would help her.

Note the difference between "say" and "tell". We say something, but we tellsomeonesomething.

Similar to 'say'Similar to 'tell'

mention, explain, point out, agree, promise, threaten, pretend, claim, recommend, suggest, admit, deny, boast, complain, insist, propose, replypromise, advise, warn, remind

Here are some common reporting verbs with the patterns which follow them. You should learn and remember these. (good luck - there are a lot!!!)SubjectVerbto doThis pattern is common with verbs which mean "I'll do it!"Here, the person who is speaking does the action.

Iofferedagreedrefusedpromisedthreatenedpretendedclaimedto makea cup of tea.

SubjectVerbObjectto doThis pattern is common with verbs which mean "You do it!".Here, the person who is listening does the action.Note that "warn" is usually used with a negative. ("I warned himnotto go.")

Itoldorderedaskedbeggedadvisedremindedpersuadedencouragedwarnedinvitedhimto makeme a cup of tea.

SubjectVerbdoingA lot of students make mistakes with "suggest" and "recommend" so make sure you learn these.

Iadmitteddeniedsuggestedrecommendedeatingall the cake

Finally, there are a lot of reporting verbs which use prepositions. Again, you have to remember all these patterns.I blamedhim for doingit.I confessedto doingit.

I accusedhim of doingit.I apologisedfor doingit.

I congratulatedhim on doingit.I insistedon doingit.

Practice: Rewrite each of these sentences so they have the same meaning as the first. Use between 2 and 5 words, and do not change the word in brackets.

Principio del formulario