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Reporting verbs are generally used for reporting what someone says, thinks or
believes. Direct speech is the terms used when we give the exact words
someone used.
“Help!” he shouted.
Indirect or Reported speech is used when we give our own version of what
someone has said.
Reporting Verbs
Many students quickly learn how to use say, tell, ask, reply and thought. As
writers are generally reporting what someone has already said, it generally needs
to be written in the past tense. Reported Speech is sometimes called Indirect
Speech
“What did your father say when you asked him to buy you a computer?”
“ He said I’d have to save at least half myself!”.
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“Yes, I told her, but she can’t come because she is going to Miri”.
“So, when exactly did you see Jodie last?” asked the detective.
“Well, it would have been Friday night, at about 10.30” Sam replied.
The detective stared at Sam intently and finally said “Did she say
anything to you?
Sam sighed “ I ‘ve already explained that she told me she was going up
the coast for a few days”
“Did she say when she’d be back?”, demanded the detective
“She said she’d be back sometime next week. Look, what’s going on
here, I get the feeling that you think I had something to do with her
disappearance!” Sam shouted.
“A body was discovered this morning which matches her description”,
muttered the detective.
“Oh no,” Sam moaned.
Writing becomes boring and repetitive if you use only a few verbs. Other verbs
can be use to describe or summarise what people say without repeating the
same thing over and over again. There are a number of other reporting verbs
which can more accurately describe what someone has said.
The boy’s mother warned him that it was dangerous to play near the road.
My doctor suggested that I should increase my fitness level.
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3. Some verbs can be followed by either a ‘that’clause or a ‘to’ infinitive:
The boy couldn’t explain why he threw the brick through the
window.
I couldn’t understand how I had spent so much money.
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Task B: Choose reporting verbs from the box to complete the following
sentences. Remember to think carefully about which tense to use.
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Part A: Choose suitable reporting verbs to complete the following
passages
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Review :
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