subject + say + (that) + clause / subject + say + something + to + personUse say for the words or message. If you name the listener, add to before the person.
Basic Reporting Verbs
B1Use say, tell, ask, promise, offer, and suggest in common reporting patterns. Watch the word after the verb: person, that-clause, noun, -ing, or to + verb.
What you'll learn
- Use say before the message, with to before the listener.
- Use tell with a person before the message.
- Use ask for questions and for ask + person + to + verb.
- Use promise and offer with to + verb.
- Use suggest with a noun or an -ing form.
Structure
subject + tell + person + (that) + clauseTell goes directly before the listener. Do not add to before the person.
subject + ask + person + to + verb / subject + ask + if/whether + clauseUse ask for questions and requests. With a person and an action, use to + verb.
subject + promise/offer + to + verbUse promise to report commitment and offer to report willingness to help.
subject + suggest + noun / subject + suggest + verb-ingIn this basic pattern, suggest is followed by an idea, not by to + verb.
Build a sentence
Reporting verb
Pattern
toldmethat she was busy
Anna told me that she was busy.
Use tell + person + message.
When to use
Reporting words
Use these verbs to report what someone said, asked, promised, offered, or suggested in another sentence.
Requests
Report when one person wanted another person to do something. Use ask + person + to + verb.
Ideas and plans
Report ideas for action with suggest + noun or suggest + -ing. Example: Lena suggested taking a taxi.
Markers
thattoifwhethersomeone-ing
Common mistakes
Wrong
Mark said me the answer.
Correct
Mark told me the answer.
With a listener directly after the verb, use tell. After say, a listener needs to.
Wrong
Lisa told to me the news.
Correct
Lisa told me the news.
Tell takes the person directly. Do not put to before the listener.
Wrong
Dad asked me close the window.
Correct
Dad asked me to close the window.
After ask + person + action, use to + verb.
Wrong
He promised call me later.
Correct
He promised to call me later.
Promise is followed by to + verb when you report the action.
Wrong
They suggested to leave early.
Correct
They suggested leaving early.
In this pattern, suggest is followed by a noun or an -ing form, not to + verb.
Common misconceptions
❝ Say and tell work the same, so I can choose either one. ❞
They do not use the same pattern. Say focuses on the words; tell normally needs a person after it.
❝ I must always use that after say or tell. ❞
In reported statements, that is often optional. Both She said that she was tired and She said she was tired are correct.
Skills in this rule (7)
SAY_WITH_OPTIONAL_TOw5Use say with words, and add to before the listener when needed
Use say before the message itself. If you mention the listener, add to: say something to someone.
TELL_WITH_PERSONw5Use tell with a person before the message
Tell needs a listener: tell me, tell Anna, tell us. After that, add the message if needed.
ASK_FOR_QUESTIONS_AND_REQUESTSw5Use ask for questions and for asking someone to do something
Use ask to report a question, or ask someone to do something. With a person + action, use ask + person + to + verb.
PROMISE_OFFER_TO_VERBw4Use promise and offer with to + verb for future actions
When someone commits to an action or volunteers to help, use promise to do or offer to do.
SUGGEST_NOUN_OR_INGw5Use suggest with a noun or an -ing form
Use suggest with an idea as a noun or with an -ing form: suggest a plan, suggest going by train. Do not use suggest to do in this basic pattern.
THAT_IS_OPTIONAL_IN_STATEMENTSw3Drop or keep that after reporting verbs in statements
In reported statements, that is often optional after say and tell. Both forms are natural: She said that she was tired / She said she was tired.
CHOOSE_THE_RIGHT_REPORTING_VERBw4Choose the reporting verb that matches the meaning
Pick say for words, tell for informing a person, ask for questions or requests, promise for commitment, offer for willingness, and suggest for ideas.