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The Global Insight

How do you use reporting verbs

Author

Andrew Campbell

Updated on April 04, 2026

When we tell someone what another person said, we often use the verbs say, tell or ask. These are called ‘reporting verbs’. However, we can also use other reporting verbs. Many reporting verbs can be followed by another verb in either an infinitive or an -ing form.

What is a reporting verb example?

Reporting verbs are used when you want to tell someone about another conversation. We also call this reported speech or indirect speech. Two examples of reporting verbs are say and tell.

How are reporting verbs used in academic writing?

Reporting verbs are a way for you, the writer, to show your attitude towards the source of information you are citing. These attitudes are either ‘positive’, ‘negative’ or ‘neutral’. Do you disagree with what the author has said? In this case, you can use a negative reporting verb to indicate this.

What is the rule of reporting verb?

The reporting verb is often said, but it can also be told, or other verbs like ordered, stated, or reported, depending on the situation. When reporting questions, you can use verbs like asked or requested. The second rule is to change the perspective, or point of view. That means I becomes he, she, or they.

How are reporting verbs used in indirect speech?

  1. Because we are talking about something that happened in the past, we use past tense verbs in reported speech: said not say; was not am.
  2. In the sentence “James said that he was my neighbour”, said is a reporting verb (was is a reported verb).

What are the reporting verbs used in the summary?

General meaningReporting verbStrengthstatedescribe, express, outline, presentneutraladd, declare, inform, mention, point out, remind, report, stateneutralassertstrongsuggestput forwardweak

Which are reporting verbs and when do we use them?

When we tell someone what another person said, we often use the verbs say, tell or ask. These are called ‘reporting verbs’. However, we can also use other reporting verbs. Many reporting verbs can be followed by another verb in either an infinitive or an -ing form.

What is reported verb class 10?

The words which generally come before the inverted commas are called the reporting clause, i.e. Sohan said to Mohan and the verb ‘said’, is called the reporting verb. The words spoken by Sohan and put within inverted commas are called the reported speech, i.e. “I am going to school.”

Which is a reporting verb tell go be?

Brainly User. I hope “tell” is reporting verb. Gm. hendikeps2 and 15 more users found this answer helpful.

What is reporting verb in direct and indirect speech?

Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like ‘say’, ‘tell’, ‘ask’, and we may use the word ‘that’ to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used. She said, “I saw him.” (

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What is reporting verb in narration?

Reporting verb: The verb first part of sentence (i.e. he said, she said, he says, they said, she says,) before the statement of a person in sentence is called reporting verb. Examples.

What is the difference between reporting verb and reported speech?

Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout, usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.

What reporting verbs can be used to replace the word said?

accusedcorrectedlamentedargueddemurredmumbledaskeddeniedmurmuredasserteddescribedmusedassureddisagreedmuttered

How do you explain a reported speech?

Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like ‘say’, ‘tell’, ‘ask’, and we may use the word ‘that’ to introduce the reported words.

What is the reporting verb in the following sentence Renu said I am hungry?

The reporting verb is said. These verbs can also be used with an infinitive construction and a direct object. Some of these verbs are – said, asked, advised, decide, apologise, agree etc. Thus, in the given sentence Renu said, ” I am hungry.”, the reporting verb is said.

How do you report commands?

Use a reporting verb like request, order, tell, advise, beseech, threaten, beg, implore, ask, propose and forbid. Note that all of these verbs except propose must be followed by an object. Commands and requests are usually reported using a to-infinitive. That-clauses can also be used.

How do I report an order?

direct orderreported orderShe said, “You must make the bed before you go to work!”She told her husband to make the bed before he went to work.

How do you use direct and reported speech?

  1. Using direct speech. Using direct speech means repeating the spoken phrase or word exactly as it was said. …
  2. Using indirect speech. Indirect or reported speech is used to describe speech that happened in the past, where you are recounting something that was said to you before. …
  3. Your turn.