Advanced Reported Speech in English (B2)
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- #Grammar
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Beyond say and tell, English has many reporting verbs (admit, suggest, deny, warn) each with its own grammar. This lesson helps you report what people say precisely and naturally.
At B2 reported speech moves beyond mechanical backshift into the choice of reporting verb. Say and tell convey nothing about the speaker's attitude; admit, deny, insist, warn, suggest and refuse convey a great deal. Selecting the right one is what makes reported speech genuinely informative.
Each reporting verb carries its own grammatical pattern, and these patterns must be learned alongside the meaning. Some take a that clause, some take an infinitive, some take an -ing form, and some take an object plus infinitive. Admit doing, refuse to do, accuse someone of doing, warn someone not to do.
B2 also requires judgement about when backshift is optional. If the reported statement remains true, or if the reporting verb is present, the tense often stays unchanged. Applying backshift mechanically to every sentence produces stilted English and sometimes misrepresents what was meant.
How to form Advanced Reported Speech
| Pattern | Verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb + that clause | say, explain, claim, admit, deny, insist, complain | He claimed that he had paid. |
| verb + -ing | admit, deny, suggest, recommend, regret, mention | She denied taking the file. |
| verb + to + infinitive | offer, refuse, promise, agree, threaten, claim | They refused to comment. |
| verb + object + to + infinitive | tell, ask, advise, warn, remind, persuade, urge | She warned me to check it. |
| verb + object + preposition + -ing | accuse of, blame for, congratulate on, apologise for | He accused her of leaking it. |
| verb + object + that | tell, convince, assure, remind, inform | He assured us that it was safe. |
Advanced Reported Speech: the key rules
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Reporting verbs carry the meaning and dictate the pattern: admit/deny + -ing, refuse/offer + to-infinitive, accuse someone of + -ing, warn someone (not) to.
He denied taking the money and accused his colleague of hiding it.
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Backshift is optional when the statement is still true — obligatory when the reporting frame makes it past.
She said the Earth orbits the Sun. (no shift needed for permanent truths)
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Suggest takes a clause or -ing, never object + infinitive.
She suggested postponing / that we postpone the launch.
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Modals shift too: can → could, may → might, must (obligation) → had to; would, could, should, might stay put.
'You must sign it' → He said I had to sign it.
When to use Advanced Reported Speech
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Conveying the speaker's attitude
A precise reporting verb replaces several words of explanation.
She insisted on seeing the original. He admitted misreading the figures.
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Reporting in journalism and academic writing
Reporting verbs signal how much credence the writer gives a claim.
The minister claimed the figures were accurate. The study demonstrates a clear link.
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Summarising a long exchange
One well-chosen verb can compress an entire conversation.
After an hour they agreed to postpone the decision.
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Reporting without backshift
When the statement is still true, leaving the tense unchanged sounds more natural.
She said she works in research. (she still does)
Neutral vs. evaluative reporting verbs
The verb you choose tells your reader how much you believe the claim — a crucial distinction in academic and journalistic writing.
Neutral — no stance
Simply reports. The writer takes no position on truth.
say, state, report, note, observe, comment
Evaluative — signals doubt or endorsement
Claim and allege imply doubt; demonstrate and show imply endorsement.
claim, allege, assert (doubt) — demonstrate, prove, establish (endorsement)
Advanced Reported Speech in example sentences
- He admitted forgetting to send the confirmation.admit takes -ing.
- She denied any involvement in the decision.deny can take a noun as well as -ing.
- They refused to release the documents.refuse takes an infinitive.
- The doctor advised her to rest for a fortnight.advise takes object + infinitive.
- He accused the department of withholding data.accuse takes of + -ing.
- She apologised for arriving late.apologise takes for + -ing.
- The report suggests reviewing the whole process.suggest takes -ing, never an infinitive.
- He warned us not to sign anything.Negative infinitive after warn + object.
Advanced Reported Speech in a real conversation
The second speaker reports a meeting using precise verbs rather than repeated said.
Editor:What came out of the briefing?
Reporter:The spokesperson denied that any funds were missing.
Editor:Did anyone push back?
Reporter:Two journalists accused them of withholding the audit.
Editor:And?
Reporter:She refused to comment further, but promised to publish it next week.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
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She suggested me to apply for the grant.
She suggested that I apply for the grant. / She suggested applying.
Suggest never takes object + infinitive — one of the most fossilised B2 errors.
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He denied to have broken the window.
He denied breaking / having broken the window.
Deny belongs to the gerund family.
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They warned us don't touch the wires.
They warned us not to touch the wires.
Reported negative commands take not + to-infinitive.
Check yourself: 10 Advanced Reported Speech questions
Answer these and see the reason for each one. They are 10 of the 60 exercises in the full Advanced Reported Speech practice set.
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She ___ taking the file from the archive, which the security log later confirmed.
- refused
- insisted
- warned
- denied
Show answer
denied — Deny takes a gerund directly and reports a rejected accusation.
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They ___ him for the delay, though the fault lay with the supplier.
- blamed
- apologised
- accused
- denied
Show answer
blamed — Blame takes an object followed by for, unlike accuse which takes of.
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She ___ me to check the small print before signing anything.
- insisted
- warned
- suggested
- recommended
Show answer
warned — Warn takes an object followed by a to-infinitive.
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The letter ___ us that our application had been received.
- mentioned
- explained
- informed
- said
Show answer
informed — Inform requires a direct object before the that clause.
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She ___ him on the appointment, which was generous given their history.
- praised
- thanked
- complimented
- congratulated
Show answer
congratulated — Congratulate takes an object followed by on plus a noun or gerund.
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He ___ that he had never met the claimant, despite the photographs.
- insisted
- recommended
- offered
- suggested
Show answer
insisted — Insist plus a that clause reports a position maintained against contrary evidence.
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She ___ me that the report had already gone to the printers.
Show answer
told — This verb requires a direct object before the reported clause.
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She ___ moving the deadline rather than cutting the scope.
Show answer
suggested — This verb takes a gerund and can never take an object plus infinitive.
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She ___ me not to mention the figures in front of the client.
Show answer
warned — This verb takes an object plus a to-infinitive, negated with not before to.
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She reminded me ___ renew the insurance before the end of the month.
Show answer
to — Remind takes an object followed by a to-infinitive.
Practise Advanced Reported Speech today
Learn each reporting verb with its pattern — the pattern is half the vocabulary item.
- Report six statements using six different reporting verbs, none of them say or tell.
- Write one sentence for each pattern in the table above.
- Rewrite a short dialogue as a report, choosing verbs that convey each speaker's attitude.
- Correct these: He suggested to meet. — She denied to take it. — They accused him to lie.
Advanced Reported Speech: frequently asked questions
Why does suggest not take an infinitive?
It is simply the pattern the verb requires. Suggest takes an -ing form, a that clause, or a that clause with a subjunctive: She suggested meeting later, She suggested that we meet later, or formally She suggested that we meet. She suggested to meet is a very common error, particularly among speakers of Romance languages, but it is never correct in English.
When is backshift optional?
When the reported statement is still true at the moment of reporting, when the reporting verb is in the present, or when reporting general truths. She said she lives in Berlin is natural if she still does. Backshift is obligatory when the statement is no longer true, when you wish to distance yourself from it, or when the time reference has clearly passed.
How do I choose a reporting verb in academic writing?
Match the verb to how much you endorse the claim. Neutral verbs — state, note, report, observe — take no position. Endorsing verbs — demonstrate, show, establish — signal that you accept the finding. Distancing verbs — claim, allege, assert — signal scepticism. Using claim about a source you actually accept sends an unintended signal to your reader.
What happens to modals in reported speech?
Will becomes would, can becomes could, may becomes might, and must becomes had to. Would, could, might, should and ought to do not change, because they are already past forms. Must can also stay unchanged when it expresses deduction rather than obligation: He said it must be a mistake. This irregularity is worth noting because it is frequently tested.