Grammatical Patterns after Reporting Verbs

Grammatical Patterns after Reporting Verbs (A Clear B2–C1 Guide)

When we report what someone has said, thought, suggested, or promised, we usually use reporting verbs:

say, tell, suggest, promise, advise, warn, admit, deny, claim, and many more.

But here’s the problem:

You can’t use the same grammar pattern after every reporting verb. Some verbs are followed by to + infinitive, others by -ing, others by a that-clause, and some need an object in between.

This is one of the most important grammar areas for B2 First and C1 Advanced, especially in Use of English, transformations, formal writing, reports, essays, and reviews. In this guide, you will learn the main grammatical patterns after reporting verbs, with clear explanations and natural examples.

Verb + to + infinitive

Many reporting verbs are followed directly by to + infinitive.

Common verbs in this group:

agree, offer, refuse, promise, threaten, decide, hope, claim, demand, prefer

• She agreed to help with the project.
• He refused to cooperate.
• She promised to call later.
• They decided to postpone the meeting.
• He claimed to have seen the suspect.
• She demanded to speak to the manager.

Verb + object + to + infinitive

Some reporting verbs must have an object before the infinitive.

Common verbs in this group:

advise, persuade, ask, tell, remind, encourage, warn, invite, order, urge, convince

Structure:

verb + person + to + infinitive

• She advised him to take a break.
• He asked her to help with the project.
• She told him to be careful.
• They encouraged him to apply for the job.
• The officer ordered them to leave immediately.
• They urged him to reconsider his decision.

Very common mistake:

❌ She suggested him to go.

✅ She suggested that he go / going.

Verb + -ing

Some reporting verbs are followed by a gerund (-ing form).

Common verbs in this group:

admit, deny, mention, suggest, recommend

• She admitted lying about the situation.
• He denied knowing anything about the incident.
• She mentioned seeing him at the event.
• They recommended taking a break.
• He suggested going for a walk.

Verb + preposition + -ing

Some verbs need a preposition before the -ing form.

Common verbs in this group:

apologise for, insist on, blame for, accuse of, complain about, congratulate on

• She apologised for being late.
• He insisted on speaking to the manager.
• They blamed him for causing the delay.
• She accused him of lying.
• He complained about waiting too long.
• They congratulated her on winning the competition.

Verb + that-clause

Many reporting verbs can be followed by a that-clause (often “that” is omitted in informal English).

Common verbs in this group:

say, claim, admit, suggest, insist, explain, promise, warn, agree, deny

• She said (that) she was feeling tired.
• He claimed (that) he had seen the suspect.
• They admitted (that) they had made a mistake.
• She explained (that) the delay was due to traffic.
• He promised (that) he would call later.
• They warned (that) the storm would be severe.

Very common mistakes to avoid

❌ He suggested me to go.

✅ He suggested going / suggested that I go.

❌ She explained me the problem.

✅ She explained the problem to me.

❌ He said me that…

✅ He told me that… / He said that…

These mistakes are extremely common in exams.

Why this matters for Cambridge exams

This topic appears frequently in Use of English transformations, Key Word transformations, formal writing tasks, and error-correction exercises. If you know which verb takes which structure, you can avoid basic mistakes, write more accurately, score higher in grammar tasks and sound much more natural and confident

A simple learning tip

Don’t try to memorise all reporting verbs at once. Instead, learn them in groups by pattern. Your brain loves order. Give it some. 😄

Final thought

Reporting verbs are like well-dressed guests at a British dinner party – each one insists on arriving with its own grammatical companion. Learn who brings to + infinitive, who brings -ing, and who brings a that-clause, and suddenly everything becomes much more polite, organised, and correct.

Download the grammatical patterns after reporting verbs exercise worksheet in PDF here

Learn about reported speech here

Do the quiz to perfect your knowledge: