English Grammar Exercises for B2 – Reporting verbs

1. Change the sentences into reported speech. Use the reporting verbs in the box and a that clause.

admit      announce      complain      explain      promise


1) ‘I’ve got too much homework!’

  He complained that ________

2) ‘I got up early because I had a lot of work to do.’

  ____________

3) ‘ sister’s going to have a baby.’

  ____________

4) ‘I won’t tell anyone your secret.’

  ____________

5) ‘I broke the vase in the living room.’

      ____________

Show answers

1) (He complained that) he had too much homework

2) He explained that he had got up early because he had had a lot of work to do.

3) He announced that his sister was going to have a baby.

4) He promised that he wouldn’t tell anyone secret.

5) He admitted that he had broken the vase in the living room.

2. Decide which verb (a-c) does not fit in each sentence.

1) The manager ____ that we finish work early.


a proposed      b suggested      c told

2) George ____ to us that he had found a new job.


a added      b explained      c announced

3) uncle ____ me to accompany him to New York.


a invited      b asked      c warned

4) Henry ____ taking the bus into town.


a advised      b agreed      c suggested

5) Harry ____ writing the anonymous email.


a admitted      b refused      c apologised for

6) The head teacher ____ us to wait outside her office.


a instructed     b agreed      c asked

Show answers

2) a   3) c   4) b   5) b   6 b

3. Complete the sentences with a preposition, if necessary, and the infinitive or -ing form of the verbs in the box.

give      go      help      lie      pass

pay      steal      swim      tell


1) David offered ____________ me with the housework.

2) Mandy requested that I ____________ nobody about her decision to resign from her job.

3) Martha denied ____________ money from the till.

4) Sean accused me ____________ to him.

5) Hayden insisted ____________ for cinema ticket, even though he was almost broke.

6) parents forbade me ____________ to the music festival.

7) Chris agreed ____________ me a lift into town.

8) The lifeguard warned us not ____________ near the rocks.

9) We congratulated Beth ____________ all her exams.

Show answers

1) to help   2) tell   3) stealing   4) of lying   5) on paying

6) to go   7) to give   8) to swim   9) on passing

4. Report the sentences using the verbs in the box. Sometimes more than one answer is possible, but you should use each verb only once.

apologise      demand      deny      order

refuse      remind      suggest


1) ‘Go to your room this instant,’ dad said to me.

   ________

2) ‘Don’t forget to phone me this evening,’ Sarah said to Clare.

   ________

3) ‘It wasn’t me who ate all the biscuits,’ said Owen.

   ________

4) ‘I won’t lend you pink jacket,’ said A to Sandra.

   ________

5) ‘Kate must apologise to Andrew,’ said Mum.

   ________

6) ‘Why don’t we go and see a film?’ said Dave.

   ________

7) ‘I’m sorry I lost temper,’ said Robert.

      ________

Show answers

1) dad ordered me to go to room that instant.

2) Sarah reminded Clare to phone her that evening.

3) Owen denied eating all the biscuits. / Owen denied that he had eaten all the biscuits.

4) A refused to lend Sandra her pink jacket.

5) Mum demanded that Kate apologise to Andrew.

6) Dave suggested that we (should) go and see a film.

7) Robert apologised for losing his temper.

Challenge!

Write sentences about things that have happened to you. Use the verbs below.

congratulate      encourage      offer      recommend      warn

1) mum congratulated me on __________________

2) _________

3) _________

4) _________

5) _________

6) _________

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