Reporting verbs

Some reporting verbs may appear in more than one of the following groups because they can be used in several ways.

Verbs followed by "if" or "whether"

ask know remember

say see

Verbs followed by a "that"

add admit agree announce answer argue boast claim comment complain confirm consider deny

doubt estimate explain fear feel insist mention observe persuade propose remark remember repeat

reply report reveal say state suggest suppose tell think understand warn

Verbs followed by either "that" or an infinitive with "to"

decide expect guarantee hope

promise swear threaten

Verbs followed by a "that" clause containing should, which may be omitted, leaving a subject + zero-infinitive

advise beg demand

insist prefer propose

recommend request suggest

Verbs followed by a clause starting with a question word

decide describe discover discuss explain forget guess

imagine know learn realise remember reveal say

see suggest teach tell think understand wonder

Verbs followed by object + infinitive with "to"

advise ask beg command

forbid instruct invite

teach tell warn