Reporting Verbs List for Indirect Speech: Said, Told, Asked, Advised with Examples
Learn the reporting verbs list for indirect speech: said, told, asked, advised and more, with patterns, memory tricks, 12 examples and a practice set.
Read this sentence: He said to me, "Do not touch it." Now report it. Many students write: "He said me not to touch it." It looks close, but it's wrong in two ways. "Said me" is not correct English, and the word "said" doesn't match the mood of the sentence at all. The speaker wasn't just talking. He was warning me.
The correct answer is: He warned me not to touch it.
That one word, the reporting verb, carries the speaker's mood, and examiners love to test whether you can choose it. Using "said" for everything isn't wrong in every case, but it often costs marks, especially in questions about requests, advice, warnings, suggestions and exclamations.
In this guide, I'll give you a complete list of reporting verbs grouped by their purpose, the four patterns that follow them, memory tricks that make them stick, the mistakes examiners love and a practice set with answers. If you haven't read the earlier posts, start with the basics in my post on direct and indirect speech rules with examples. The examples here are original sentences on common exam patterns, not questions from a particular year's paper.
| Sentence type | Reporting verbs |
|---|---|
| Statement | said, told, stated, explained, replied, added |
| Question | asked, enquired, wondered, demanded |
| Command | ordered, commanded, instructed |
| Request | requested, begged, implored |
| Advice | advised, urged, recommended |
| Warning | warned, cautioned |
| Suggestion | suggested, proposed |
| Exclamation | exclaimed with joy, sorrow, surprise, wonder |
In This Guide
- What is a reporting verb?
- The reporting verbs list, grouped by purpose
- Memory trick 1: Match the MOOD
- The four patterns that follow reporting verbs
- Memory trick 2: The prepositions that follow some verbs
- Memory tricks cheat sheet (screenshot this)
- How to choose the reporting verb in 3 steps
- 12 worked examples
- 7 common mistakes with reporting verbs
- Practice set: 12 questions
- A 3-day plan to master reporting verbs
- Frequently asked questions
- Where to go from here
What is a reporting verb?
The reporting verb is the verb in the first part of the sentence, the part that tells us who spoke and how. In the sentence He said, "I am tired," the reporting verb is said. In indirect speech it becomes He said that he was tired.
Two things depend on the reporting verb. First, the tense change: if the reporting verb is in the past, the tense steps back. Second, the pattern that follows: some verbs take "that", some take "to" and some take "-ing". Choosing the right verb gives you the right meaning and the right pattern at the same time.
The reporting verbs list, grouped by purpose
1. Statements
| Verb | Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|---|
| said / told | He said to me, "I am busy." | He told me that he was busy. |
| explained | The teacher said, "The rule has an exception." | The teacher explained that the rule had an exception. |
| replied | She said, "I will not come." | She replied that she would not come. |
| announced | The principal said, "The school will close tomorrow." | The principal announced that the school would close the next day. |
| admitted | He said, "I made a mistake." | He admitted that he had made a mistake. |
| complained | She said, "The food is cold." | She complained that the food was cold. |
2. Questions
| Verb | Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|---|
| asked | He said to me, "Where do you live?" | He asked me where I lived. |
| enquired | She said to him, "Is the shop open?" | She enquired if the shop was open. |
| wondered | He said, "Who is at the door?" | He wondered who was at the door. |
3. Commands, requests, advice and warnings
| Verb | Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|---|
| ordered / commanded | The captain said to the soldiers, "Fire!" | The captain ordered the soldiers to fire. |
| requested | He said to me, "Please help me." | He requested me to help him. |
| begged | The boy said to his mother, "Please forgive me." | The boy begged his mother to forgive him. |
| advised | The doctor said to me, "You should take rest." | The doctor advised me to take rest. |
| warned | He said to me, "Do not touch it." | He warned me not to touch it. |
| forbade | The teacher said to the boy, "Do not leave the room." | The teacher forbade the boy to leave the room. |
| permitted | The principal said to the boy, "You may go home." | The principal permitted the boy to go home. |
4. Suggestions
| Verb | Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|---|
| suggested | Ravi said, "Let us go for a walk." | Ravi suggested that they should go for a walk. |
| proposed | She said, "Let us start early." | She proposed that they should start early. |
5. Promises, offers, refusals and denials
| Verb | Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|---|
| promised | He said to me, "I will help you." | He promised to help me. |
| offered | She said, "I will carry your bag." | She offered to carry my bag. |
| refused | He said, "I will not pay." | He refused to pay. |
| denied | He said, "I did not steal the money." | He denied stealing the money. |
6. Thanks, apologies, congratulations and greetings
| Verb | Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|---|
| thanked | She said to me, "Thank you for your help." | She thanked me for my help. |
| apologised | She said to him, "I am sorry for the delay." | She apologised to him for the delay. |
| congratulated | He said to me, "Congratulations on your success!" | He congratulated me on my success. |
| wished | He said to her, "Good morning." | He wished her good morning. |
7. Exclamations and wishes
| Interjection | Reporting verb |
|---|---|
| Hurrah! | exclaimed with joy |
| Alas! | exclaimed with sorrow |
| Wow! / Oh! | exclaimed with surprise or wonder |
| Ugh! | exclaimed with disgust |
Example: The boy said, "Hurrah! We have won the match." becomes The boy exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
Memory trick 1: Match the MOOD
The easiest way to pick a reporting verb is to ask yourself one question: what is the speaker doing? Is the speaker informing, asking, ordering, begging, advising, warning or suggesting? The answer is your verb.
The four patterns that follow reporting verbs
Choosing the verb is half the battle. The other half is the pattern that follows it. There are four patterns, and every reporting verb in the list belongs to one of them.
| Pattern | Example | Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| Verb + that + clause | He said that he was tired. | said, told (+ person), explained, replied, announced, admitted, complained |
| Verb + person + to + verb | He advised me to rest. | ordered, requested, advised, warned, begged, forbade, permitted |
| Verb + to + verb | He promised to help. | promised, offered, refused, agreed, threatened |
| Verb + -ing | He denied stealing the money. | denied, admitted, suggested |
Memory trick 2: The prepositions that follow some verbs
A few reporting verbs take a preposition, and a wrong one costs marks. Learn them in pairs.
| Verb | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| apologised | to (person) for (thing) | He apologised to me for the delay. |
| thanked | (person) for (thing) | She thanked me for my help. |
| congratulated | (person) on (thing) | He congratulated me on my success. |
| accused | (person) of (thing) | They accused him of cheating. |
| insisted | on | She insisted on paying the bill. |
| blamed | (person) for (thing) | He blamed me for the mistake. |
Memory tricks cheat sheet (screenshot this)
Here's every shortcut from this guide, plus the earlier ones from this series, in one place.
| What to remember | Memory shortcut |
|---|---|
| Choosing the verb | Match the MOOD: read the feeling, then pick the verb. |
| Promise, offer, refuse, agree, threaten | PORAT: all take to + verb. |
| Suggest, admit, deny | SAD verbs take -ING. |
| Order, advise, warn, request | Person plus TO: He advised me to rest. |
| said to | Becomes told, and told always needs a person. |
| congratulate / thank | Podium ON, favour FOR. |
| Pronouns (earlier post) | S-O-N: Subject, Object, No change. |
| Time and place (earlier post) | N-F and P-T-P. |
| Tenses (earlier post) | ONE STEP BACK. |
How to choose the reporting verb in 3 steps
- Read the mood. Is the speaker informing, asking, ordering, requesting, advising, warning, suggesting, promising or thanking?
- Check the pattern. Does that verb take "that", "person + to", "to" or "-ing"? Write the sentence in that pattern.
- Apply the other changes. Move the tense one step back, and change the pronouns, time and place words. If you need a refresher, see my posts on the tense changes chart and on pronouns, time and place words.
12 worked examples
| No. | Direct speech | Indirect speech |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | He said to me, "Please help me." | He requested me to help him. |
| 2 | The teacher said to the boy, "Do not make noise." | The teacher ordered the boy not to make noise. |
| 3 | The doctor said to me, "You should take rest." | The doctor advised me to take rest. |
| 4 | She said to him, "I am sorry for the delay." | She apologised to him for the delay. |
| 5 | He said, "I did not steal the money." | He denied stealing the money. |
| 6 | Ravi said to Sunil, "Let us go for a walk." | Ravi suggested to Sunil that they should go for a walk. |
| 7 | She said to me, "Thank you for your help." | She thanked me for my help. |
| 8 | The captain said to the soldiers, "Fire!" | The captain ordered the soldiers to fire. |
| 9 | He said to me, "I will help you." | He promised to help me. |
| 10 | The boy said, "Hurrah! We have won the match." | The boy exclaimed with joy that they had won the match. |
| 11 | The principal said to the boy, "You may go home." | The principal permitted the boy to go home. |
| 12 | He said to me, "Congratulations on your success!" | He congratulated me on my success. |
7 common mistakes with reporting verbs
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| He said me not to go. | He told me not to go. / He advised me not to go. | Said to a person becomes told, and a mood verb is even better. |
| She suggested me to rest. | She suggested that I should rest. | Suggest takes "that" or -ing, not person + to. |
| He denied to take the money. | He denied taking the money. | Deny takes -ing. |
| The boy admitted to have broken the glass. | The boy admitted breaking the glass. | Admit takes -ing or "that". |
| He apologised me for the delay. | He apologised to me for the delay. | Apologise needs "to" before the person. |
| She congratulated him for his success. | She congratulated him on his success. | Congratulate takes "on". |
| He promised that he helps me. | He promised to help me. | Promise takes "to + verb", or "that" with would. |
Practice set: 12 questions
Convert each sentence into indirect speech, and choose the best reporting verb. Write your answers in a notebook first.
- He said to me, "Please lend me your pen."
- The teacher said to the class, "Do not talk in the library."
- My friend said to me, "You should join a coaching class."
- Rita said to her mother, "I am sorry for my mistake."
- He said, "I did not break the window."
- Meena said, "Let us visit the museum."
- She said to him, "Thank you for the gift."
- The officer said to the guard, "Open the gate."
- He said to me, "I will drop you at the station."
- The girl said, "Alas! I have lost my bag."
- The manager said to the clerk, "You may leave early."
- Anil said to me, "Congratulations on your promotion!"
1) He requested me to lend him my pen.
2) The teacher ordered (or told) the class not to talk in the library.
3) My friend advised me to join a coaching class.
4) Rita apologised to her mother for her mistake.
5) He denied breaking the window.
6) Meena suggested that they should visit the museum.
7) She thanked him for the gift.
8) The officer ordered the guard to open the gate.
9) He promised to drop me at the station.
10) The girl exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her bag.
11) The manager permitted the clerk to leave early.
12) Anil congratulated me on my promotion.
Your score: 11 or 12 means you're exam-ready on reporting verbs. 8 to 10 means revise the patterns. Below 8, go back to the cheat sheet and try again after two days.
A 3-day plan to master reporting verbs
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Learn Match the MOOD. Write one sentence of your own for each sentence type in the quick answer table. |
| 2 | Learn PORAT, SAD and the person-plus-TO group. Write two sentences for each. |
| 3 | Learn the prepositions (apologise to, thank for, congratulate on). Retake the practice set without looking at the answers. |
Frequently asked questions
What is a reporting verb?
A reporting verb is the verb in the reporting clause, the part that tells us who spoke and how. Examples are said, told, asked, ordered, advised and suggested. It decides the mood and the pattern of the indirect sentence.
What is the difference between "said" and "told"?
"Said" is used without a listener, as in "He said that he was busy". "Told" always needs a listener right after it, as in "He told me that he was busy". "He said me" and "He told that" are both wrong.
Which reporting verb should I use for questions?
Use asked or enquired, and sometimes wondered or demanded. After the verb, write the question in normal word order, with no question mark, and use "if" or "whether" for yes or no questions.
What is the difference between "advised" and "ordered"?
"Advised" is for suggestions that the listener may or may not follow, as in "You should take rest". "Ordered" is for commands that must be followed, as in "Fire!" or "Do not leave". Choose by the force of the sentence.
Which reporting verbs take -ing?
Suggest, admit and deny are the main ones. Remember them as the SAD verbs: he suggested going, she admitted breaking it, he denied taking it. Verbs that take a preposition first, such as insist on, also take -ing: she insisted on paying.
How can I remember so many reporting verbs?
Do not learn them as a long list. Learn them by mood and by pattern: Match the MOOD, PORAT, SAD and person plus TO. Practise ten sentences a day for a week, and the verbs become natural.
Where to go from here
You now have the list, the four patterns and the memory tricks to choose the right reporting verb in any exam question. Practise the twelve questions again in three days and keep the cheat sheet on your phone. The next post in this series goes deeper into questions, commands and exclamations, where reporting verbs matter most.
If you'd like the complete system in one place, with rules, memory tricks and exam-style practice, my ebook Mastering Direct & Indirect Speech: Ultimate Guide to Confident Reporting: For SSC CGL, IBPS PO, CAT, CUET, UPSC and State PSCs is available on Amazon.
Mastering Direct & Indirect Speech: Ultimate Guide to Confident Reporting
Convert narration from your most error-prone descriptive-paper section into a confidently mastered, rule-driven skill.