Espresso English Reporting Verbs
Espresso English Reporting Verbs is a lesson that lists the verbs used to report what people said, such as say, tell, ask, recommend, suggest, warn and advise. Each verb is shown with the sentence structure that follows it, example sentences and, where useful, a common error to avoid. The lesson continues earlier Espresso English lessons on reported speech and on reported questions and commands.
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How It Helps Your Business English
The lesson works through reporting verbs one at a time, each with the grammar pattern that follows it: say with an optional that, tell plus a person, ask with if or whether, and the infinitive used for orders and requests. Further groups cover advice verbs such as recommend, suggest and warn, and stronger verbs such as agree, claim, complain, deny and insist.
Read it for the patterns rather than the meanings: what matters is which words must follow each verb. The lines marked as common errors are the most useful part of the page, so pause on each one and compare it with the correct sentence above it. Keep the closing lists in view when you want a verb that carries more than said.
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