Reporting verbs
Some reporting verbs may appear in more than one of the following groups because they can be used in several ways.
Verbs followed by "if" or "whether"
| ask know remember |
say see |
Verbs followed by a "that"
| add admit agree announce answer argue boast claim comment complain confirm consider deny |
doubt estimate explain fear feel insist mention observe persuade propose remark remember repeat |
reply report reveal say state suggest suppose tell think understand warn |
Verbs followed by either "that" or an infinitive with "to"
| decide expect guarantee hope |
promise swear threaten |
Verbs followed by a "that" clause containing should, which may be omitted, leaving a subject + zero-infinitive
| advise beg demand |
insist prefer propose |
recommend request suggest |
Verbs followed by a clause starting with a question word
| decide describe discover discuss explain forget guess |
imagine know learn realise remember reveal say |
see suggest teach tell think understand wonder |
Verbs followed by object + infinitive with "to"
| advise ask beg command |
forbid instruct invite |
teach tell warn |