Why Are Reporting Verbs Used?
Verbs such as admit, promise, declare, invite, ask, explain, reflect, remind, mention, suggest, insist and refuse are often used when we change direct speech into reported speech. Using them is a good idea because it brings breadth and variety into your writing.
Example
‘Remember to send your aunt a good luck message,’ said their mother. Their mother reminded them to send their aunt a good luck message.
Reporting Verbs Exercise
A. Choose a suitable verb from the box to complete each sentence. Do not use any verb more than once. There is one more than you need.
| offered | agreed | insisted |
| admitted | threatened | boasted |
| estimated | apologised | complained |
| congratulated | explained |
- He _________ that he was more capable than the others who had attempted to sail around the world.
- After the disaster happened, the purser _________ that she had been at fault for not checking the names on the passenger list.
- The young yachtswoman was _________ on her outstanding achievement.
- Our neighbour has _________ to take our children to watch the boat rally.
- Alex _________ for forgetting to send a telegram saying that he had arrived safely.
- The authorities _________ that the storm damage would cost around $2 million to repair.
- We approached several companies for sponsorship and finally a soft drinks company _________ to donate some money to the project.
- The survivors of the earthquake _________ that the ordeal had given them great inner strength.
- The school principal has _________ on having tornado drills in case of an emergency.
- The ship’s passengers _________ that the cabins were too small and the meals were tasteless.
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B. Fill the gaps in the passage below with speech verbs other than ‘said’. Use as wide a range as possible.
Are there any lions or tigers about here?’ she [1] ……… timidly.
‘It’s only the Red King snoring,’ [2] ………… Tweedledee.
‘Come and look at him!’ the brothers [3] ………, and they each took one of Alice’s hands, and led her up to where the King was sleeping.
‘Isn’t he a lovely sight?’ [4] ………. Tweedledum.
Alice couldn’t say honestly that he was. He had a tall red night-cap on, with a tassel, and he was lying crumpled up into a sort of untidy heap, and snoring loud– ‘fit to snore his head off!’ as Tweedledum [5] ……….
‘I’m afraid he’ll catch a cold with lying on the damp grass,’ [6] ……… Alice, who was a very thoughtful little girl.
‘He’s dreaming now,’ [7] ……. Tweedledee: ‘and what do you think he’s dreaming about?’
Alice [8] ….., ‘Nobody can guess that.’
‘Why, about you!’ Tweedledee [9] ……, clapping his hands triumphantly.
‘And if he left off dreaming about you, where do you suppose you’d be?’
‘Where I am now, of course,’ ……. [10] Alice.
‘Not you!’ Tweedledee [11] ……… contemptuously. ‘You’d be nowhere. Why you are only a sort of thing in this dream!’
‘If that there King was to wake,’……. [12] Tweedledum, ‘you’d go out –bang! – just like a candle!’
‘I shouldn’t!’ Alice ……. [13] indignantly. ‘Besides, if I’m only a sort of thing in his dream, what are you, I should like to know?’
‘Ditto,’……. [14] Tweedledum.
‘Ditto, Ditto!’……. [15] Tweedledee.
He [16] ……. this so loud that Alice couldn’t help saying ‘Hush! You’ll be waking him, I’m afraid if you make so much noise.’
‘Well, it’s no use your talking about waking him,’ [17] ……. Tweedledum, ‘when you’re only one of the things in his dream. You know very well you’re not real.’
‘I am real!’ [18] ……. Alice, and began to cry.
‘You won’t make yourself a bit realer by crying,’ Tweedledee [19] ………. ‘there’s nothing to cry about.’
‘If I wasn’t real,’ Alice [20] ……… – half laughing and through her tears, it all seemed so ridiculous- ‘I shouldn’t be able to cry.’