Reporting sentence structure: verb + THAT + clause with SHOULD + infinitive
advise, agree, demand, insist, prefer, propose, recommend, request,
suggest, urge etc.
Geoffrey: I think you should visit a specialist.
Geoffrey advised that I should visit a specialist.
Susan: Yes, Harry, you are right. You’d better accept that offer.
Susan agreed that Harry should accept that offer.
Customer: I want you to give me a full refund!
The customer demanded that the company should give him a full refund.
Geoffrey: You really must try the new Opel.
Geoffrey insisted that I should try the new Opel.
Howard: I’d rather you came to my party, Susan, and not to Julie’s.
Howard preferred that Susan should go to his party.
Jill: What about going to the sauna tonight?
Jill proposed that they should go to the sauna.
Jill: What about going to the sauna tonight?
Jill recommended that they should go to the sauna.
Employees: Could we have the staff meeting on Tuesday instead, Boss?
The employees requested that the staff meeting should be on Tuesday.
Jill: What about going to the sauna tonight?
Jill suggested that they should go to the sauna.
Secretary to the President: Now, it’s really high time that you handed in your resignation, Sir.
The secretary urged that the president should hand in his resignation.
Reporting sentence structure: verb + TO + infinitive
agree, claim, decide, demand, hope, offer, prefer, promise, refuse,
threaten etc.
Geoffrey: All right, I’ll do it.
Geoffrey agreed to do it.
Al-qaida: We have captured two US marines.
Al-Qaida claims to have captured two US Marines.
Customer: Well, I think I’d rather not buy this car.
The customer decided not to buy that car.
Judge: I want to see the documents.
The judge demanded to see the documents.
Susan: I hope I’ll get to the airport in time.
Susan was hoping to get to the airport in time.
Joe: I can take you home if you want.
Joe offered to take me home.
Spokesman: Well, I would rather not say anything at the moment
The spokesman preferred not to say anything.
Jill: I will be on time, I promise.
Jill promised to be on time.
Geoffrey: No, I won’t answer any questions about my private life.
Geoffrey refused to answer questions concerning his private life.
Young man on the bridge: Don’t come any closer, or else I’ll jump.
The disturbed young man threatened to jump off the bridge.
Reporting sentence structure: verb + somebody + TO + infinitive
ask, advise, allow, beg, command, encourage, forbid, instruct,
invite, order, permit, persuade, prefer, recommend, remind, request,
tell, urge, warn, want etc.
Customs officer: Please, empty your pockets, madam.
The officer asked the woman to empty her pockets.
Geoffrey: I think you should visit a specialist.
Geoffrey advised me to visit a specialist.
Professor Pect: You mustn’t use a dictionary while writing the test.
Professor Pect did not allow us to use a dictionary while writing the test.
Chris: Please, please, tell me what really happened.
Chris begged her to tell the truth.
Sergeant: Fire!
The sergeant commanded the firing squad to shoot.
Uncle: Have you ever thought of starting scuba diving? I guess you’d love it.
My uncle encouraged me to take up scuba diving.
Mother to Cecil: You must not talk to Julie again.
Cecil’s mother forbade him to talk to Julie again.
Doctor to patients: You should exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
The patients were instructed 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.
College regulation: Teachers are not to use corporal punishment in the classroom.
The rules don’t permit teachers to beat students at this college.
Geoffrey to Julie: Be a vegetarian; it’s better for your health.
Julie: But I like bacon!
Geoffrey: You don’t know what those pigs have been eating.
Julie: Yuck! You’re right. I have never thought about it that way. I won’t eat meat any more.
Geoffrey persuaded Julie 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.
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 at page 10.
The teacher told the pupils to open their books at page 10.
Mother to child: Don’t tease that dog! It will bite you!
The mother warned her child not to tease the dog.
Secretary to the President: Now, it’s really high time that you handed in your resignation, Sir.
The secretary urged the president to hand in his resignation.
Boss to secretary: Rewrite this letter. There are far too many mistakes in it.
The boss wanted her secretary to rewrite the letter.
Reporting sentence structure: verb + noun / gerund (-ING)
accuse sy of, admit (to), apologise for, boast about, confess (to),
complain (to sy) about, deny, insist on, prohibit, suggest, warn sy
about etc.
Julie: Geoffrey, it was you who stole my grammar book.
Julie accused Geoffrey of stealing her grammar book.
Geoffrey: Yes, I broke the window.
Geoffrey admitted (to) breaking the window.
Groom to bride: I am extremely sorry for being so late.
The groom apologised (to his bride) for being so late.
Boy to his friend: Well, I am such a cool guy that I’ve swum across Lake Balaton twice.
The boy boasted about swimming across Lake Balaton twice.
Julie to her neighbour: Yes, it was me who started that ugly rumour about your past. Can you forgive
me?
Julie confessed (to) starting an ugly rumour about the past of her neighbour.
Student to his friend: I hate having to write two essays every week.
The student complained (to his friend) about having to write two essays every week.
Geoffrey: No, I didn’t break the window.
Geoffrey denied breaking the window.
Wife to husband: I do want to invite the Joneses as well.
The wife insisted on inviting the Joneses as well.
Museum sign: No smoking
They prohibit smoking in the museum.
Smoking is prohibited in the museum.
Jill: What about going to the sauna tonight?
Jill proposed going to the sauna.
Jill: What about going to the sauna tonight?
Jill suggested going to the sauna.