Other report structures. For more English tutorials, please visit: https://www.thelecturette.com

1. Other Report Structures

2. Other Report Structures
If you want to report an order, a request, or a
piece of advice, you use a ‘to’-infinitive clause
after a reporting verb such as ‘tell’, ‘ask’, or
‘advise’. You mention the hearer as the object
of the verb, before the ‘to’-infinitive clause.
advise command invite
remind ask forbid
order tell beg
instruct persuade warn

3. Other Report Structures
Johnson told her to wake him up.
He ordered me to fetch the books.
He asked her to marry him.
He advised me to buy it.

4. Other Report Structures
If the order, request, or advice is negative,
you put ‘not’ before the ‘to’-infinitive.
He had ordered his officers not to use
weapons.
She asked her staff not to discuss it publicly.
Doctors advised him not to play for three
weeks.

5. Other Report Structures
If the subject of the ‘to’-infinitive clause is the
same as the subject of the main verb, you can
use ‘ask’ or ‘beg’ to report a request without
mentioning the hearer.
I asked to see the manager.
Both men begged not to be named.

6. Other Report Structures
If you want to report a question, you use a
verb such as ‘ask’ followed by an ‘if’-clause or
a ’wh’-word clause.
I asked if I could stay with him.
They wondered whether the time was right.
He asked me where I was going.
She inquired how Steve was getting on.

7. Other Report Structures
Note: In reported questions, the subject of the
question comes before the verb, just as it
does in affirmative sentences.

8. Other Report Structures
Many reporting verbs refer to people’s
thoughts and feelings but are often used to
report what people say. For example, if
someone says ‘I must go’, you might report
this as ‘She wanted to go’ or ‘She thought she
should go’.

9. Other Report Structures
Some of these verbs are followed by:
• a ‘that’-clause
accept fear imagine
think believe feel
know understand consider
guess suppose worry

10. Other Report Structures
We both knew that the town was cut off.
I had always believed that I would see him
again.

11. Other Report Structures
• a ‘to’-infinitive clause
intend plan want
He doesn’t want to get up.

12. Other Report Structures
• a ‘that’-clause or a ‘to’-infinitive clause
agree expect hope
regret wish decide
forget prefer remember
She hoped she wasn’t going to cry.
They are in love and wish to marry.

13. Other Report Structures
‘Expect’ and ‘prefer’ can also be followed by
and object and a ‘to’-infinitive.
I’m sure she doesn’t expect you to take the
plane.
The headmaster prefers them to act plays
they have written themselves.

14. Other Report Structures
A speaker’s exact words are more often used
in stories than in ordinary conversation.
‘I knew I’d seen you,’ I said.
‘Only one,’ replied the Englishman.
In ordinary conversation, it is normal to use a
report structure rather than to repeat
someone’s exact words.

15. Questions?
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