REPORTING VERBS

In academic writing, you will often need to refer to the research of others, also called secondary sources.
A reporting verb is a word which is used to talk about or report on other people's work. Reporting verbs
can be used to great effect, but the difficulty with using them is that there are many, and each of them
has a slightly different and often subtle meaning.

In academic writing, it is important to present an argument logically and cohesively. You may be
required to:

 comment on someone’s work

 agree or disagree with someone else’s study

 evaluate someone’s ideas

Often you will be assessed on your ability to demonstrate these skills. It is repetitive and boring to write
‘Smith says...’ over and over again. Fortunately, there is a wide choice of reporting verbs in English.
Reporting verbs can indicate:

 the author’s personal viewpoint

 your viewpoint regarding what the author says

 the author’s viewpoint regarding other literature.

To interpret the writer’s ideas accurately, however, you will need to use a verb with the correct nuance
(sense of meaning).

There are many ways to classify reporting verbs, especially by their usage. According to our book,
reporting verbs are put into 4 groups. Some verbs may appear in more than one of the following groups
because they can be used in several ways.

1. That + clause
Add Decide Mean Reply
Admit Deny Mention Report
Agree Doubt Object Say
Announce Estimate Persuade State
Argue Expect Predict Suggest
Believe Explain Promise Suppose
Claim Feel Reassure Tell
Complain Hope Reckon Think
Confirm Imply Remark Threaten
Consider Insist Repeat

Meaning:
 Estimate: to form an idea of the cost, size, value etc. of something, but without calculating it
exactly.
Imply:  to suggest that something is true or that you feel or think something, without saying so
directly
Reassure: to say or do something that makes somebody less frightened or worried
Reckon: to think something or have an opinion about something
State: to formally write or say something, especially in a careful and clear way
Example:
Employee: ... and so far I haven't received a negative response to my work.
The employee added that up to that point he hadn't received a negative response to his work.
George: Well, I had difficulty answering some of the questions.
George admitted that he had had difficulty answering some of the questions.
Chris: Yes, it was a great film.
Chris agreed that the film was great.
Matthew: Do you want to have a cup of coffee sometime?
Joanna: Sorry, but you're not my type.
When Matthew asked her out, Joanna answered/replied that he was not her type.
Rev. Johansson: All humans are born equal.
Reverend Johansson believes that all humans are born equal.
Julie to her neighbour's wife: You may not believe me, but I saw your husband with a blonde girl
in the disco on Saturday.
Julie claimed that she had seen her neighbour with a blonde girl in the disco on Saturday.
Student to his friend: I hate having to write tons of essays every semester.
The student complained that he had to write a lot of essays.
Julie to her neighbour: Yes, it was me who started that ugly rumour about you. I'm sorry.
Julie confessed that she had started an ugly rumour about her neighbour.
Secretary to a colleague: That's right, the meeting is on Tuesday.
The secretary confirmed that the meeting was on Tuesday.
Customer: I don't think I'll buy this notebook after all.
The customer decided that he wouldn't buy the notebook.
Francesco: No, I didn't bump your car.
Francesco denied that he had bumped my car.
Student: I don't think that we could convince the professor that this is not plagiarism.
The student doubted that they could convince the professor that it was not plagiarism.
Jill: I can make fire with a stick. You know, my father taught me how to do it when I was a child.
Jill explained that her father had taught her how to make fire with a stick when she was a child.
Alex: Well, I think we should back her up in this terrible situation.
Alex felt that they should back her up in that terrible situation.
Chef: I hope nobody will notice that this is not turkey but pork.
The chef was hoping that nobody would notice that it was not turkey but pork.
Secretary to boss: I'm absolutely sure that I shredded those documents.
The secretary insisted that she had shredded the documents.
Tom: Once I get back to school, I'm going to take up swimming again.
Tom mentioned that he was going to take up swimming again.
David: I will be on time, I promise.
David promised that he would be on time.
Wife to husband: As I've told you before, I'd like to invite Dan and Margaret as well.
The wife repeated that she wanted to invite Dan and Margaret as well.
Camila: It may have been Mario who bumped your car.
Camila suggested that it might have been Mario who had bumped my car.

2. Person + to
Advise Invite Ask Warn
Remind Persuade Instruct
Forbid Tell Order

More words:
Allow Permit Urge
Encourage Request Want
Recommend Command
Beg Prefer

Meanings:
Instruct: to tell somebody to do something, especially in a formal or official way
Urge: to advise or try hard to persuade somebody to do something
Beg: to ask somebody for something especially in an anxious way because you want or need
it very much
Example:
Customs officer: Please empty your pockets, madam.
The officer asked the woman to empty her pockets.
Carlos: I think you should visit a specialist.
Carlos advised me to visit a specialist.
Professor: You mustn't use a dictionary while writing the test.
The professor did not allow us to use a dictionary while writing the test.
Chris: Please tell me what really happened.
Chris begged her to tell him what had happened.
Sergeant: Fire!
The sergeant commanded the firing squad to shoot.
Uncle Joe: Have you ever thought of starting scuba diving? I guess you'd love it.
My uncle Joe encouraged me to take up scuba diving.
Mother to Luke: You must not talk to Ellie again.
Luke's mother forbade him to talk to Ellie again.
Doctor to patient: You must exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
The doctor instructed the patient to exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
I: Why don't you come in for a coffee?
I invited him to come inside and have a cup of coffee.
Police to photographers at an accident scene: No pictures!
The police ordered the photographers not to take any pictures of the accident scene.
School regulation: Teachers are not to use corporal punishment in the classroom.
The rules don't permit teachers to beat students at this school.
Matt: Be a vegetarian; it's better for your health.
Victoria: But I like bacon!
Matt: You don't know what those pigs have been eating.
Victoria: Yuck! You're right. I've never thought about it that way. I won't eat meat any more.
Matt persuaded Victoria to become a vegetarian.
Health specialist: I think it would be better if people consumed much less fat and sugar.
The health specialist would prefer people not to consume so much fat and sugar.
Thesis consultant to student: You should read the Thesis Guide before you start your research.
The thesis consultant recommended the student to read the Thesis Guide before starting the
research. (the to-infinitive after recommend is less common in everyday contexts)
David: Don't forget to buy some milk.
David reminded me to buy some milk.
Sign: Do not take photographs, please
Visitors are requested not to take photographs.
Teacher to pupils: Open your books to page 10.
The teacher told the pupils to open their books to page 10.
Mother to child: Don't tease that dog! It will bite you!
The mother warned her child not to tease the dog.
Green activists: The nuclear plant must be shut down immediately.
Green activists urged the government to shut down the nuclear plant.
Boss to secretary: Will you rewrite this letter, please? There are far too many mistakes in it.
The boss wanted her secretary to rewrite the letter.
3. Subjuctive or should

Advise ( SO to do/against sth)

Agree (to do sth, that clause)
Demand (to do sth)
Insist (on SO doing dth)
Prefer (SO to do sth)
Propose (doing sth)
Recommend ( doing sth)
Request (SO to do sth)
Suggest (that clause)
Urge (SO to do sth)
Carlos: I think you should visit a specialist.
Carlos advised that I visit a specialist.
Susan: Yes, you are right, Harry. You'd better accept that offer.
Susan agreed that Harry accept the offer.
Customer: I want you to give me a full refund.
The customer demanded that the company give him a full refund.
 Mike: You really must try my new muffin recipe.
Mike insisted that I try his new muffin recipe.
Howard: I'd rather you came to my party, and not to Ryan's.
Howard preferred that I go to his party.
Jill: How about going to the sauna tonight?
Jill proposed/recommended/suggested that we go to the sauna.
Employees: Could we have the staff meeting on Tuesday instead?
The employees requested that the staff meeting be on Tuesday.
Green activists: The nuclear plant must immediately be shut down.
Green activists urged that the nuclear plant be shut down.

4. That + clause(would)
Customer: I don't think I'll buy this notebook after all.
The customer decided that he wouldn't buy the notebook.
Chef: I hope nobody will notice that this is not turkey but pork.
The chef was hoping that nobody would notice that it was not turkey but pork.
David: I will be on time, I promise.
David promised that he would be on time.