Reported Commands, Requests, Suggestions, etc

To report commands, requests, suggestions, instructions etc. we use a special introductory verb followed by a to-infinitive, -ing form, or that-clause depending on the introductory verb.

Introductory verb+ infinitive Reported speech
agree	Yes, I'll lend you £25."	He agreed to lend me £25.
claim	"I'm working on a top secret project."	He claimed to be working on a top secret project.
demand	"I want to be served immediately."	He demanded to be served immediately
offer	"Would you like me to help you with your essay?"	She offered to help me with my essay.
promise	"I promise I'll do this for you."	He promised to do that for me.
refuse	"No, 1 won't do what they want."	He refused to do what they wanted.
threaten	"Be quiet or I'll punish you."	He threatened to punish us if we weren't quiet

Introductory verb + sb + to-infinitive
advise	"You should exercise more."	He advised me to exercise more.
allow	"You can watch the film on TV"	He allowed me to watch the film on TV.
ask	"Can you do me a favor?"	He asked me to do him a favor.
beg	"Please, please, help me."	She begged me to help her.
command	"Put the gun down."	He commanded her to put the gun down.
encourage	"You should talk to her about this."	He encouraged me to talk to her about that.
forbid	"You cannot listen to your music at this time of night."	He forbade me to listen to my music at that time of night.
invite	"Will you come to my birthday party?"	She invited me to go to her birthday party.
order	"Do thirty push ups at once!"	He ordered me to do thirty push ups immediately.
*remind	"Don't forget to call me when you get home."	He reminded me to call him when 1 got home.
*warn	"Be careful, don't believe what she says."	He warned me not to believe what she says.
+ -ing form
accuse sb of	"He stole my bag."	She accused him of stealing her bag.
*admit (to)	"Yes, 1 dropped the vase."	He admitted to dropping/ having dropped the vase.
apologise for	"I'm sorry 1 am late."	She apologised for being late.
*boast about/ of	"I'm an excellent actor."	He boasted of being an excellent actor.
*complain (to sb) of/about	"1 feel very tired."	She complained (to me) of feeling very tired.
*deny	"1 didn't tell her your secret!"	He denied telling/having told her my secret.
* insist on	"1 am going to give you a lift home."	He insisted on giving me a lift home.
*suggest	"Why don't we play table tennis tomorrow?"	He suggested playing table tennis the next day.
+ that clause
explain	"It is quicker to take the train because the traffic is heavy."	He explained that it was quicker to take the train because the traffic was heavy.
inform sb	'The flight has been cancelled due to bad weather conditions."	She informed us that the flight had been cancelled due to bad weather conditions.

UNIT 11. VERB + VERB PATTERN

The -ing form is used:

· As a noun. Jogging is very good for your health. *

· after certain verbs: admit, appreciate, avoid, consider, continue, deny, fancy, go (for activities), imagine, mind, miss, quit, save, suggest, practise, prevent.

Do you mind my opening the window?

· after love, like, enjoy, prefer, dislike, hate to express general preference.

Clara enjoys talking to her friends on the phone.

BUT: for a specific preference (would like/would prefer/would love) we use to-infinitive,

· after expressions such as be busy, it's no use, it's no good, it's (not) worth, what's the use of, can't help, there's no point (in), can't stand, have difficulty (in), have trouble, etc.

There is no point in talking to Chris about it - he never listens to you.

· after spend, waste, or lose (time, money, etc).

He wasted a lot of time doing nothing.

· after the preposition to with verbs and expressions such as look forward to, be used to, in addition to, object to, prefer (doing sth to sth else).

She prefers swimming to playing tennis.

· after other prepositions. He was thinking of getting a new job.

· after the verbs hear, listen to, notice, see, watch, and feel to describe an incomplete action.

I heard Nick talking to Eva. (I only heard part of the conversation.)

BUT: we use the bare infinitive with hear, listen to, notice, see, watch, and feel to describe the complete action. I heard Nick tell the story. (I heard the whole story.)