MAIN REPORTING VERBS:
TELL (TOLD) – SAY (SAID) – ASK (ASKED)
Ex: “ Do it now!”> He said to me (he told me) to do it now.
Ex: “What do you want to eat?”> He asked me what I wanted to eat
OTHER REPORTING VERBS
They express a communicative function: to invite, to order, to forbit, to recommend, etc.
They can be divided in 4 categories because they use 4 different constructions:
A)
Verb+ (that) + sentence
SAY, ADD, ANNOUNCE, ANSWER, CLAIM (=dichiarare), EXPLAIN, REPLY, STATE
(=affermare), THINK
Ex: “I’ll get married “> He announced (said) (that) he was getting married
B)
Verb+object+to +infinitive
INVITE, ADVISE * (=consigliare), FORBID (=proibire), REMIND* (=ricordare qualcosa a
qualcuno), ORDER, WARN* (=ammonire), RECOMMEND (raccomandare caldamente)
Ex: “Would you like to dance?” > He invited me to dance
Ex: “Be careful!”
> He warned me to be careful
C)
VERB+ TO+INFINITIVE
PROMISE*, OFFER, REFUSE (=rifiutare), THREATEN* (=minacciare)
Ex: “I’ll write soon” > “He promised to write soon
Ex: “I’ll do the dishes”> He offered to do the dishes
N.B.: I verbi con * possono reggere anche la costruzione di tipo A, ma solo quando il soggetto del
verbo introduttivo è diverso dal soggetto della frase riferita
D)
VERB+PREPOSITION+ING
APOLOGIZE FOR (=scusarsi per qualcosa), CONGRATULATE SOMEONE ON, BLAME
SOMEONE FOR(=incolpare), ACCUSE SOMEONE OF, DISCOURAGE SOMEONE FROM
(=scoraggiare qualcuno)
Ex “I’m sorry I broke your vase”>He apologized for breaking my vase
N.B. I verbi SUGGEST (=fare proposte), RECOMMEND, DENY (=negare), ADMIT (=ammettere)
possono reggere la costruzione tipo A o tipo D
