Reporting verbs ESL

1. CELEBRITIES AND REPORTING VERBS

2. He refused to
eat.
He said that it looks like his mother.
He asked him self what
would he be when he
grow up.
He denied
stealing the
money.
He announced that the
aliens had landed in
New York.

3. Look at the speech bubbles
and turn them into reported
speech using the necessary
verbs and structures.

4. Mix the eggs
with the
flour! GORDON
RAMSAY
Gordon
Ramsay_____________________________________
told me to mix the eggs with the
flour
Gordon
Ramsay_____________________________________
ordered me to mix the eggs with the
flour
TOLD + A PERSON + INFINITIVE
ORDERED+ A PERSON +
INFINITIVE
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about

5. ANGELINA JOLIE
Angelina
Jolie_____________________________________
begged Brad Pitt to stay with her
Please stay
with me, Brad!
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about
BEGGED + INFINITIVE

6. I’ll make
America great
again!
DONALD TRUMP
Donald
Trump_____________________________________
promised to make America great again
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about
PROMISED + INFINITIVE

7. I have to be
in that movie,
come on!
MARGOT
ROBBIE
Margot
Robbie_____________________________________
insisted on being in that movie
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about
INSISTED ON + ING

8. I’ve never
cheated on
my wife!
DAVID BECKHAM
David
Beckham____________________________________
_
denied cheating on his wife
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about
DENIED + ING

9. Let’s adopt
more
children!
ANGELINA JOLIE
Angelina_____________________________________
suggested adopting more children
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about
SUGGESTED + ING

10. I’m the best
actor!!!
LEONARDO
DICAPRIO
Leonardo DiCaprio
_________________________________
claimed to be the best actor
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about
CLAIMED + INFINITIVE

11. SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Ask + person + infinitive
Tell + person + infinitive
Order + person + infinitive
Persuade + person + infinitive
Invite + person + infinitive
Promise + infinitive
Beg + infinitive
Refuse + infinitive
Claim + infinitive
Deny + ing
Admit + ing
Recommend + ing
Suggest + ing
Insist on + ing
Apologize for + ing
Warn about + ing
Warn + person + that…
Remind + person + that…
Said + that…

12. A: Hi son, How’s it going?
B: Hi Dad. I’m going out.
A: Wait a minute, wait a minute. Have you done your
homework?
B: Ahhh come on Dad, it’s Friday night.
A: I don’t care, have you done it or not?
B: No. But I promise I’ll do it tomorrow.
A: Ok, but if you don’t you’ll be grounded for a week.
B: Ok it’s a deal.
They shake hands.

13. A: Hi son, How’s it going?
B: Hi Dad. I’m going out.
A: Wait a minute, wait a minute. Have you done your
homework?
B: Ahhh come on Dad, it’s Friday night.
A: I don’t care, have you done it or not?
B: No. But I promise I’ll do it tomorrow.
A: Ok, but if you don’t you’ll be grounded for a week.
B: Ok it’s a deal.
They shake hands.
REPORT WHAT THEY SAID
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Ask + person + infinitive
Tell + person + infinitive
Order + person + infinitive
Persuade + person + infinitive
Invite + person + infinitive
Promise + infinitive
Beg + infinitive
Refuse + infinitive
Claim + infinitive
Deny + ing
Admit + ing
Recommend + ing
Suggest + ing
Insist on + ing
Apologize for + ing
Warn about + ing
Warn + person + that…
Remind + person + that…
Said + that…

14. A: Hi son, How’s it going?
B: Hi Dad. I’m going out.
A: Wait a minute, wait a minute. Have you done your
homework?
B: Ahhh come on Dad, it’s Friday night.
A: I don’t care, have you done it or not?
B: No. But I promise I’ll do it tomorrow.
A: Ok, but if you don’t you’ll be grounded for a week.
B: Ok it’s a deal.
They shake hands.
REPORT WHAT THEY SAID
The Dad asked the son if he had done
his homework.
The son admitted to not his homework.
And he promised to do his homework
the day after.
The Dad warned the son that if he didn’t
do his homework he would be grounded
for a week.
The son agreed.
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Ask + person + infinitive
Tell + person + infinitive
Order + person + infinitive
Persuade + person + infinitive
Invite + person + infinitive
Promise + infinitive
Beg + infinitive
Refuse + infinitive
Claim + infinitive
Deny + ing
Admit + ing
Recommend + ing
Suggest + ing
Insist on + ing
Apologize for + ing
Warn about + ing
Warn + person + that…
Remind + person + that…
Said + that…

15. Sarah: Hi Fiona, how’s it going? Are you coming
to the party tonight?
Fiona: No I don’t think so; I’m not in the mood
and I have to work tomorrow.
Sarah: No you don’t! Tomorrow is a holiday, the
shop is closed.
Fiona: Oh yeah! I’d completely forgotten. I’m
still not sure.
Sarah: Oh come on, you have to come!
Tommy’s going to be there.
Fiona: Really? Hhhhmmmm well, ok then, I’ll
come.
REPORT WHAT THEY SAID
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Ask + person + infinitive
Tell + person + infinitive
Order + person + infinitive
Persuade + person + infinitive
Invite + person + infinitive
Promise + infinitive
Beg + infinitive
Refuse + infinitive
Claim + infinitive
Deny + ing
Admit + ing
Recommend + ing
Suggest + ing
Insist on + ing
Apologize for + ing
Warn about + ing
Warn + person + that…
Remind + person + that…
Said + that…

16. Sarah: Hi Fiona, how’s it going? Do you want
come to the party tonight?
Fiona: No I don’t think so; I’m not in the mood
and I have to work tomorrow.
Sarah: No you don’t! Tomorrow is a holiday, the
shop is closed.
Fiona: Oh yeah! I’d completely forgotten. I’m
still not sure.
Sarah: Oh come on, you have to come!
Tommy’s going to be there.
Fiona: Really? Hhhhmmmm well, ok then, I’ll
come.
REPORT WHAT THEY SAID
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Ask + person + infinitive
Tell + person + infinitive
Order + person + infinitive
Persuade + person + infinitive
Invite + person + infinitive
Promise + infinitive
Beg + infinitive
Refuse + infinitive
Claim + infinitive
Deny + ing
Admit + ing
Recommend + ing
Suggest + ing
Insist on + ing
Apologize for + ing
Warn about + ing
Warn + person + that…
Remind + person + that…
Said + that…
Sarah invited Fiona to come to the party.
Fiona said that no because she wasn’t in
the mood and she had to work the day
after.
Sarah reminded Fiona that the day after
was a holiday.
Sarah persuaded/convinced Fiona to
come to the party by telling her Tommy
would be there.
Fiona agreed.

17. JARED LETO
Jared
Leto_____________________________________
allowed his fans to take selfies with him
You can take
selfies with
me!
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about

18. He_____________________________________
wondered if she had a boyfriend
He asked
himself “Does
she have a
boyfriend?”
SOME REPORTING VERBS:
Tell
Order
Promise
Beg
Refuse
Claim
Deny
Admit
Recommend
Suggest
Insist on
Apologize for
Warn about