Ch 17
Reported Speech (advanced)
Reporting verbs · prep + -ing · suggest patterns
At C1 you use reporting verbs that pack meaning into the verb itself, each with its own grammatical pattern.
admit + -ing / + that
He admitted lying. / He admitted that he had lied.
deny + -ing / + that
She denied taking it.
promise + to / + that
He promised to come. / He promised that he would come.
threaten + to / + that
She threatened to resign.
advise (someone) to
She advised me to wait.
warn (someone) to / not to
He warned us not to go.
encourage (someone) to
They encouraged her to apply.
persuade (someone) to
I persuaded him to stay.
remind (someone) to
She reminded me to lock the door.
invite (someone) to
They invited us to attend.
accuse + of + -ing
She accused him of lying.
apologise for + -ing
He apologised for being late.
insist on + -ing
She insisted on paying.
complain about + -ing
They complained about being overcharged.
congratulate on + -ing
She congratulated me on passing.
blame (someone) for + -ing
He blamed me for losing the keys.
suggest + -ing
She suggested going to the cinema.
suggest + that + (should) + base
She suggested that we (should) leave early.
recommend (someone/-ing/that)
He recommended trying the soup. / He recommended that I try.
insist + on + -ing / + that + subjunctive
She insisted on paying. / She insisted that he pay.
"Suggest" never takes "to + infinitive". NEVER: "She suggested me to go." Always: "suggested I go" or "suggested going".
No backshift: still true
She said the Earth is round. (universal truth, no shift)
No backshift: very recent
He said he is coming. (about to happen)
Optional backshift: still relevant
She said she likes jazz. (still does)
Modal verbs that DON'T backshift
could, would, should, might, ought to — stay the same
Past simple often stays
She said she moved in 2010. (rather than "had moved")
She suggested me to go.
→
She suggested that I (should) go / suggested going.
suggest never + to + infinitive
He accused me to steal it.
→
He accused me of stealing it.
accuse + of + -ing
She apologised for to be late.
→
She apologised for being late.
preposition + -ing
They warned me don't go.
→
They warned me not to go.
warn + object + (not) to + infinitive
Recap
Verb + -ing
admit, deny, suggest, recommend, regret
admitted lying
Verb + to inf
promise, refuse, offer, threaten, agree
promised to come
Verb + obj + to inf
advise, warn, persuade, encourage, remind, invite
advised me to wait
Verb + prep + -ing
accuse of, apologise for, congratulate on
accused him of lying