Reporting verbs

-
What words do you associate with seaside? When was the last time you went to the beach? Did you have a good time? Did anything wrong or unusual happen?

Has anyone or anything ever spoilt your holiday at the seaside?

You are going to read an extract from Bill Bryson's book Notes from a Big Country.

Reading
Read "A day at the seaside" and explain why Bryson had a hell of a time.

Vocabulary 
Click here to download a worksheet with vocabulary from the text above.

Reporting verbs

When we report or paraphrase a message or what someone said, we use reporting verbs such as tell, say, advise, convice, claim, suggest, recommend, etc.

Reporting verbs follow different patterns:

verb + direct object (hearer) + to-infinitive
Jenny asked me to come to the party

verb + direct object (hearer) + that clause
I convinced myself that I was doing the right thing

verb + to-infinitive
I refuse to tell you the truth

verb + that clause 

Claire recommends that you read In the heat of the night

Claire suggested that I went to the hospital 

verb + v-ing 
I propose doing extra homework


Bear in mind that each pattern can be used with different verbs. In some cases the same verb
can be used with more than one pattern. Click here to learn more.

For more resources and further practice, click here.

Let me know how you get on with reporting verbs.

 
   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ADVANCED C1:Describing works of art

-
Image
Art beyond sight Look at the painting by John Sloan and answer the questions below: John Sloan. Sunday, Women drying their hair, 1912 What is the focal point (the place your eyes are drawn to? What can you see in the foreground? What can you see in the background on the right? and on the left? What is happening in the painting? Do you think there is a story behind the painting? If so, what is the story? Which of these words would you use to describe the light in the painting?                      bright         dazzling         harsh          rich          glowing       warm                     dim             gloomy          faint           soft   ...
Read more

Civil rights movement

-
Image
Martin Luther King Jr. Do you know that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated in America on 20th January? He is one of the greatest and most influential figures in the American civil rights movement. We had the pleasure of listening to a visiting American speaker who came to our school to give a talk on the history and the impact of the civil rights movement. He talked about Martin Luther King Jr., but also about those who are not so well-known but paved the way for freedom . His life How much do you know about Martin Luther King Jr? Click on this BBC link and take notes. A bit of history of the civil rights movement. Reading and Speaking Look at the photos below. Do you know who they are? What did they do to pave the way for African-Americans? Click on the history of the civil rights movement and learn about the timeline of the civil rights movement in America. Takes notes. You are going to report your findings in class. The beginning of the civil rights...
Read more

Nelson Mandela: a year on

-
Image
Photo by Pep Fernández. Flickr.com CC-BY-NC-SA Nelson Mandela (1928-2013) died a year ago. He was 95 years old. He did nothing but fought throughout his entire life for peace and reconcilation in South Africa, a country notorious for racial oppression and apartheid . Is South Africa a peaceful country today? Reading and Listening Read this article about how South Africans are celebrating Nelson Mandela's life today. You can also watch an interview with his grandaughter, Ndileka Mandela, who talks about his gradnfather's legacy. And meanwhile, demonstrators fill the streets of New York Have you watched or read the news recently? What's going on in America? How much do you know about Eric Garner? Reading  Read this Wikipedia article about him and take notes When and where did it happen? Who was involved in the incident? What happened to Eric? What was the outcome of the investigation and the grand jury?  Watch this video Visit this New York T...
Read more