Reporting verbs
Second language learners of English often have difficulty with reporting verbs and verbs of communication, in terms of using those with appropriate meanings, as well as the kinds of grammatical structures that they occur in. These are the more common verbs of reporting or communication in English writing, classified by the grammatical structures that they occur with. (Note: this is not intended as a complete list.) See also the page on reporting & communication verb problems for second language learners.
Contents
1 Verb + object and/or gerund
A gerund is an -ing verb form that acts like a noun (e.g., "We enjoy bungee jumping").
1.1 Verb + object / gerund
These verbs can take either a direct object noun or a gerund serving as a direct object.
acknowledge |
contradict |
examine |
observe |
recognize |
suggest |
Note: The verb find out is colloquial; in formal English, ascertain, find, determine are better. The verb support needs an object, and cannot take a complement clause (e.g, “...the findings support that the drug can contribute toward liver damage” is ungrammatical).
- Our study examined the effects of cell phone use and nighttime driving concentration.
- They proposed doing away with the current speed limits.
- We recommend increasing the required number of days in school.
- The findings supported the claim that excessive consumption of the drug could lead to liver damage. [Here, that... is a relative clause modifying ‘consumption’, not a complement clause.]
1.2 Verb + preposition + object / gerund
apologize for |
|
|
The verb speak can take the prepositions of, about, on, to, regarding, for, and others. The verb mention takes a direct object, (not mention about - this is ungrammatical).
- The speaker commented at length on the negative influence of excessive corporate funding.
1.3 Verb + object + preposition + object / gerund
accuse + of |
|
- They defined language anxiety as a complex set of perceptions, beliefs and behaviors in the language classroom.
2 Verb + infinitive
2.1 Verb + infinitive (simple)
agree |
expect |
hope |
promise |
refuse |
E.g.:
- They agreed to stop exporting toys made with cadmium in any part of the manufacturing process.
2.2 Verb + object + infinitive
advise |
beg |
encourage |
forbid |
invite |
remind |
tell |
E.g.:
- We persuaded the committee to grant an extension.
3 Verb + that (complement clause)
add |
boast |
doubt |
indicate |
prove |
state |
Sometimes the complement clause marker that is omitted, especially in more informal writing, or when the complement clause is short. The verbs stress or emphasize are not used like describe or mention, but are used to actually put emphasis on an important point. The verb mention (with that or with an embedded question, below) is not used like describe, but for referring to or briefly explaining a minor point.
- We assumed that the replication experiment controlling for gender would yield similar results.
- We believe (that) similar results would follow.
- His study only mentions a few ideas for connecting the concepts together, but does not develop these ideas in any detail.
3.1 Verb + object + that (complement clause)
| inform | promise | tell |
These verbs require a direct object, and are not grammatical with just a that-clause
- We informed them that the procedure would be risky.
3.2 Verb + (that) + subjunctive verb or that...should
advise |
command |
insist |
order |
|
|
These verbs take an older verb form known as the subjunctive (for contrary-to-fact, hypothetical, and other such situations). These look different from other verbs in the third person singular, where the verb has no -s ending like other verbs. This is older and more former style, and
increasingly in contemporary English this is being replaced with (that) ... should.
- The arbiter recommended that the company pay $100 million in restitution / that the company should pay $100 million in restitution.
- The judge ruled that bail be lowered / that bail should be lowered.
4 Verb + other complement clause
Complement clauses include that-clauses, as well as if/whether clauses, and clauses with what, when, where, why.
4.1 Verb + if / whether clause
ask |
remember |
Note that whether or not is colloquial; for formal writing, simply whether will suffice.
- We question whether the government’s commitment to funding science education is sincere.
4.2 Verb + embedded question
decide |
explain |
know |
reveal |
teach |
An embedded question is a phrase beginning with what, when, where, etc., that is part of a more complex sentence (much like verbs plus if/whether phrases or verbs plus that complement clauses above). Many other verbs (besides those listed directly above) that can take direct objects or that-clause can also take embedded questions as objects.
- The study described how African-American children in the Appalachians view reading and stories differently than White children.
- We didn’t realize how often that happens.
- She suggested how we might accomplish that.
5 Problematic verbs for English learners
5.1 Say, speak, tell
Second language learners often have difficulty with the verbs say, speak, tell. Functionally, say and tell are true reporting verbs – “X said such-and-such,” “X told her such-and-such,” with direct or indirect quotations, while speak is not so much a reporting verb for quotations, but simply a verb of uttering (speaking words or sentences). The verbs say and speak can take direct objects, or with a preposition like to (“don’t speak to me,” “say it to him”), while tell can take an indirect object, with the sense of conveying information rather than just vocally articulating (“tell me what it is”).
| verb | definition | type of direct obj. | examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| say | to utter words; to express in words, state, indicate | words, a statement / utterance, a whole text or discourse; indirect discourse or that-clause | say a few words, say what’s on your mind, say something, say that you’ll go, my watch says [indicates] (that) it’s time to go, say “cheese” |
| speak | to utter words, to articulate sounds | words, a statement, an utterance, a language | speak a language, speak German,
speak nonsense, speak to someone (about something) |
| tell | to give an account, relate, inform, announce, reveal | a story, a narrative, a statement, a piece of information also + INDIRECT OBJECT |
tell me your name, tell a story, tell me what you said, tell me the truth |
5.2 Blame, criticize
Koreans also confuse blame and criticize, using the word blame when criticize would be more suitable, as criticize is more general in meaning. Here are their dictionary definition:
- blame: hold someone responsible; find fault with someone; assigning fault for a specific action,
behavior, error or failure;
- criticize: to find fault with someone, judge negatively, negatively evaluate, censure
Thus, criticize is more like pointing out faults (including general faults or failures) or negatively judging someone, while blame has more to to with assigning fault, cause, or liability for a specific error. E.g.:
- The researchers criticized the previous study for its erroneous assumptions.
- Stop blaming me just because I accidentally infected your computer.
