Page 123 - English Download B1+

Reported speech: reporting verbs
Grammar 2

1 Read about reporting verbs.
• We can use different reporting verbs to summarise what someone said. Different structures are used
depending on the verb.
verb + (object) + full infinitive
‘OK, I’ll come to Venice with you.’ à She agreed to come to Venice with me.
‘You should travel more.’ à He advised me to travel more.
verb + (preposition) + gerund
‘I didn’t break the statue.’ à He denied breaking the statue.
‘I’m sorry I was late,’ she said. à She apologised for being late.
verb + (object) + that
‘I didn’t invite him,’ she said. à She denied that she had invited him.
‘The site is closed,’ he said. à He informed us that the site was closed.
• Some reporting verbs can be followed by more than one structure.
‘Let’s visit Angkor,’ he said.
à He suggested visiting Angkor.
à He suggested that we visit Angkor.
à He suggested that we should visit Angkor.

2 Read the sentence. What does it express? Rewrite the sentence in reported speech using suggest
and three different structures.

‘Let’s take Spanish lessons,’ she said.

Read 10.4 of the Grammar Reference before you do the tasks.

3 Choose the correct answers.
1 The guard the visitor to put the statue down.
a complained b ordered c denied
2 My teacher me to do my geography project.
a suggested b explained c reminded
3 The tour guide the tourist to visit Stonehenge.
a offered b advised c complained
4 The man the politician to save the site.
a informed b apologised c begged
5 My friend that we go to see the tomb.
a suggested b refused c reminded
6 Tim Dina of cutting the painting with a knife.
a accused b denied c demanded

4 Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Use the reporting
verbs in bold. Write the sentences in your notebook.
1 ‘I’ll take you to the emperor’s tomb,’ Helen said. offer
2 ‘OK, I’ll come to Europe with you,’ Steve said. agree
3 ‘I want to see your ticket,’ he said. demand
4 ‘I’m sorry I broke the clay bowl,’ said Lynn. apologise
5 ‘The warriors are very old,’ he said. explain
6 ‘I didn’t steal the masterpiece,’ she said. deny
7 ‘We won’t help you close the national park,’ they told me. refuse
8 ‘UNESCO has a great website,’ he told us. inform

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