The first two lessons in this series established the core backshift system and the structures for reporting questions and commands. This capstone lesson adds two layers of precision. First, English has a rich set of reporting verbs — explained, warned, promised, admitted, denied, suggested, reminded, advised — each with its own grammatical pattern, and each conveying the original speaker's intention more exactly than 'said' alone. Second, backshift is not always required: when reporting a still-true fact, when reporting very recent speech, or when using a present-tense reporting verb, the tense in the reported clause can stay unchanged. Knowing when backshift is optional allows teachers and students to produce more natural and precise reported speech.
Before you start — think honestly about your own teaching and experience.
Look at the examples. Answer each question before reading the explanation — this is how your students will learn too.
All three reported versions are grammatically correct. But do they mean exactly the same thing? What does 'warned' add that 'said' does not? What does 'mentioned' suggest about how important she thought it was?
'Warned' tells the listener not just what was said, but the speaker's intention — she wanted to prepare or caution her audience. 'Mentioned' suggests the information was given casually, as a side comment. 'Told' is neutral — it says she communicated the information directly. Choosing the right reporting verb is not just grammatical — it is interpretive. It tells the reader how the original speaker communicated, which is often as important as what was said. Students who use only 'said' miss this layer of meaning entirely.
Direct (yesterday): 'The meeting is on Thursday.'
Reported (today): She said the meeting is on Thursday. ✓ (still true today)
Reported: She said the meeting was on Thursday. ✓ (also acceptable)
Why is 'went' wrong in the first example? Why are both 'is' and 'was' acceptable in the second?
When the content of reported speech is a permanent fact or a scientific truth, backshift is not used — or is at least unusual — because it implies the fact has changed, which is misleading. 'She said the Earth went around the Sun' sounds as if the Earth no longer does so, which is nonsensical. When the reported speech is still true and relevant at the time of reporting — the meeting is still on Thursday, and today is before Thursday — both the backshifted and non-backshifted form are acceptable. The backshifted form is grammatically standard; the non-backshifted form simply emphasises that the information is still current. Both are correct at B1 level.
He admitted taking the chalk.
He admitted that he had taken the chalk.
He admitted to take the chalk. ✗
She refused to help.
She denied helping. (different meaning)
She denied to help. ✗
Look at the grammatical patterns after 'suggested', 'admitted', and 'refused/denied'. What follows each one? Why is 'suggested me to go' wrong?
Reporting verbs each have their own pattern. 'Suggest' is followed by a gerund ('going') or a that-clause ('that we should go') — never by a person object + to-infinitive. Students who say 'suggested me to go' are applying the 'told/asked + person + to' pattern from commands, which does not work for 'suggest'. 'Admit' is followed by a gerund or a that-clause — not a to-infinitive. 'Refuse' takes a to-infinitive; 'deny' takes a gerund. These patterns must be learned individually, but they fall into a small number of categories that make memorisation easier.
| Form | Use / Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | Pattern | Example |
| explain | explained (to person) + that-clause | She explained (to me) that the rule had changed. |
| warn | warned + person + that-clause OR not to | He warned us that the road was dangerous. / He warned us not to drive fast. |
| promise | promised + to-infinitive OR that-clause | She promised to return the books. / She promised (that) she would return them. |
| admit | admitted + gerund OR that-clause | He admitted taking the money. / He admitted that he had taken it. |
| deny | denied + gerund | She denied stealing the chalk. |
| suggest | suggested + gerund OR that-clause (NOT person + to) | She suggested leaving early. / She suggested (that) we leave early. |
| remind | reminded + person + to-infinitive OR that-clause | She reminded me to lock the door. / She reminded me (that) the meeting was at two. |
| advise | advised + person + to-infinitive | He advised her to apply for the post. |
| refuse | refused + to-infinitive | She refused to sign the form. |
The distinction between 'deny' and 'refuse' is worth teaching explicitly because students often confuse them. 'Deny' means to say that something is not true or that you did not do something: 'She denied taking the money' (= she said she did not take it). 'Refuse' means to say you will not do something: 'She refused to sign the form' (= she said she would not sign). 'Deny' takes a gerund; 'refuse' takes a to-infinitive. A student who writes 'She refused doing it' has used the wrong pattern for 'refuse'; one who writes 'She denied to do it' has used the wrong pattern for 'deny'. Both errors are very common. A memory tip: 'deny' looks back (denying something that happened or was claimed); 'refuse' looks forward (refusing to do something that might happen). The pattern follows: past action → gerund; future action → to-infinitive.
Choosing a reporting verb: • What was the speaker's intention? Warning, promising, admitting, suggesting? → Choose the verb that names the speech act • What pattern does this verb take? → Check: to-infinitive / gerund / that-clause / person + to • Is 'explain' used? → 'Explain to person' not 'explain person' • Is 'suggest' used? → Gerund or that-clause — NOT person + to Deciding on backshift: • Is the reported information a permanent fact or scientific truth? → No backshift • Is the reporting verb in the present tense? → No backshift needed in the reported clause • Is the reported speech still true and relevant now? → Backshift is optional; both forms are correct • Is none of the above true? → Backshift as standard
Complete each sentence with the correct reporting verb form. More than one answer may be possible — give the most natural version.
Each sentence contains one error with a reporting verb or the backshift rule. Find and correct it.
Use this sequence directly in class — guided discovery, no textbook needed. Tap each step to mark it done.
STEP 1 — Why word choice matters (5 min): Write the same reported sentence three ways: 'She said the test would be hard.' / 'She warned us the test would be hard.' / 'She mentioned the test would be hard.' Ask: which teacher was trying to help you prepare? Which teacher was making a casual comment? This immediately shows that the reporting verb carries meaning beyond the words reported.
STEP 2 — Verb patterns: build the table (8 min): Introduce five reporting verbs one at a time — warned, explained, suggested, admitted, advised. For each, write the pattern on the board and give one example. Ask students to produce their own example using a school context. Highlight the two key patterns to avoid: 'explained me' and 'suggested me to'.
STEP 3 — When not to backshift (7 min): Write three pairs on the board: (a) a permanent fact, (b) a recently reported statement still true now, (c) a standard past report requiring backshift. Ask students to identify which type each is and whether backshift is required, optional, or wrong. The permanent fact case is the most important — make it concrete with scientific or geographical examples.
STEP 4 — Deny or refuse? (5 min): Write four sentences — two needing 'deny' and two needing 'refuse'. Students choose and complete. Establish the distinction: deny looks back (did not do something in the past); refuse looks forward (will not do something). Deny + gerund; refuse + to-infinitive.
STEP 5 — Consolidate: rewrite with precision (10 min): Give students four 'said' sentences about a school scenario. Ask them to rewrite each one using a more precise reporting verb from the lesson. They must also decide whether to backshift. Students share their choices and explain why they chose each verb.
Use directly in class — copy, adapt, or read aloud. No printing needed.
For each strategy, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
Your feedback helps other teachers and helps us improve TeachAnyClass.