English has dozens of verbs for reporting what someone said — admit, promise, warn, suggest, apologise, refuse, advise, insist. Each one carries its own shade of meaning, but the practical problem is grammatical: different reporting verbs follow different structural patterns, and the pattern decides what can come after the verb.
Choosing the right verb is only half the job. Using the right structure after it is the other half.
Four verbs, four different structures. There are five main patterns in total, plus one that uses a preposition. Learning which verb fits which pattern is the core skill of this lesson.
Verb + that-clause
The verb is followed directly by a clause, with no object in between. The word that can usually be dropped in informal speech.
Verbs that work this way: say, admit, claim, explain, insist, agree, reply, complain, deny, mention, promise, suggest.
With verbs of suggestion or demand (suggest, insist, recommend, propose), formal English uses the base form of the verb — this is the subjunctive, and it does not change for person.
Verb + object + that-clause
Some reporting verbs need a person before the that-clause — the listener is part of the grammar, not optional.
Verbs in this group: tell, inform, warn, remind, convince, promise, assure.
Tell and inform require this pattern — you cannot say she told that... without a person. Promise and warn can work with or without the object.
Verb + to-infinitive
The reporting verb is followed directly by to + verb, with no object. The subject of the main verb is also the subject of the infinitive — whoever agreed or refused is the one doing the action.
Common verbs: agree, promise, offer, refuse, threaten, claim, decide, demand.
Verb + object + to-infinitive
The verb needs a person between it and the infinitive. The object is the one who performs the action in the infinitive.
Verbs in this group: tell, ask, advise, warn, encourage, invite, remind, order, persuade, urge, instruct.
To make the infinitive negative, put not before to.
Verb + -ing
Some reporting verbs are followed by a gerund — the -ing form acting as a noun. No object, no to, no that.
Verbs in this group: admit, deny, suggest, recommend, regret, mention, propose.
The subject of the -ing verb is usually the same person doing the reporting — she denied knowing means she denied that she knew. When the subject differs, use the that-clause pattern instead.
Verb + preposition + -ing
Some reporting verbs attach to a fixed preposition, and a preposition is always followed by the -ing form — never by to + infinitive.
| VERB + PREPOSITION | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|
| apologise for | He apologised for arriving late. |
| insist on | She insisted on paying the bill. |
| accuse (sb) of | The manager accused him of lying. |
| congratulate (sb) on | We congratulated her on passing the exam. |
| warn (sb) against | The guide warned us against swimming there. |
| thank (sb) for | Maria thanked me for helping her. |
| blame (sb) for | They blamed the driver for the delay. |
Where the table shows (sb), a person goes between the verb and the preposition.
Verbs with more than one pattern
A few reporting verbs accept more than one pattern, with a shift in meaning.
Admit — that-clause or -ing.
Agree — to-infinitive (agreed to do something) or that-clause (agreed with a statement).
Promise — to-infinitive, that-clause, or object + that-clause.
Suggest — -ing or that-clause, but never to-infinitive and never with an object.
Warn — object + to-infinitive, object + about + noun, or object + against + -ing.
Common mistakes
Suggest
Tell vs. say
Wrong pattern after verb
Missing object
Preposition + infinitive
Negatives