verb mention (with that or with an embedded question, below) is not used like
describe, ... Verb + if / whether clause ask doubt know question remember say
see.
Reporting verbs and verbs of communication Second language learners of English often have difficulty with reporting verbs and verbs of communication, in terms of using those with appropriate meanings, as well as the kinds of grammatical structures that they occur in. These are the more common verbs of reporting or communication in English writing (but this is not intended as a complete list). Verb + that (complement clause) add acknowledge admit agree allege announce answer argue assert assume believe boast claim comment complain conclude confirm
consider decide demonstrate deny disagree doubt emphasize estimate expect explain fear feel find guarantee hope imply indicate
insist insist mean mention note observe persuade point out promise propose prove recognize recommend remark remember repeat reply
report reveal say show state stress swear suggest suppose tell threaten think understand warn
Sometimes the complement clause marker that is omitted, especially in more informal writing, or when the complement clause is short. The verbs stress or emphasize are not used like describe or mention, but are used to actually put emphasis on an important point. The verb mention (with that or with an embedded question, below) is not used like describe, but for referring to or briefly explaining a minor point. We assumed that the replication experiment controlling for gender would yield similar results. We believe (that) similar results would follow. His study only mentions a few ideas for connecting the concepts together, but does not develop these ideas in any detail.
Verb + object / gerund acknowledge admit address advise argue ascertain assert
claim contradict describe demand deny determine doubt
emphasize establish examine find forget imply indicate 1
investigate mention note observe point out prefer present
promise propose question recognize
recommend refute request research
reveal state suggest summarize
support tell
Note: find out is colloquial; in formal English, ascertain, find, determine are better. The verb support needs an object, and cannot take a complement clause (e.g, “...the findings support that the drug can contribute toward liver damage” is ungrammatical). Our study examined the effects of cell phone use and nighttime driving concentration. They proposed doing away with the current speed limits. We recommend increasing the required number of days in school. The findings supported the claim that excessive consumption of the drug could lead to liver damage. [Here, that... is a relative clause modifying ‘consumption’, not a complement clause.]
Verb + object + that (complement clause) inform
promise
tell
These verbs need a direct object, and are not grammatical with just a that-clause We informed them that the procedure would be risky.
Verb + infinitive agree decide expect
forget hope offer
promise propose refuse
threaten
They agreed to stop exporting toys made with cadmium in any part of the manufacturing process.
Verb + object + infinitive advise ask beg command
encourage expect forbid instruct
invite persuade remind teach
tell warn
We persuaded the committee to grant an extension.
Verb + preposition + object / gerund apologize for comment on / about
complain about disagree with
insist on refer to
speak about / on... warn about
The verb speak can take the prepositions of, about, on, to, regarding, for, and others. The verb mention takes a direct object, (not mention about ). The speaker commented at length on the negative influence of excessive corporate funding.
Verb + object + preposition + object / gerund accuse + of argue for
blame + for congratulate + on/for
define + as inform + of 2
tell + about / of... warn + about
They defined language anxiety as a complex set of perceptions, beliefs and behaviors in the language classroom.
Verb + if / whether clause ask doubt
know question
remember say
see
Note that whether or not is colloquial; for formal writing, simply whether will suffice. We question whether the government’s commitment to funding science education is sincere.
Verb + embedded question decide describe discover discuss doubt explain forget
guess illustrate imagine know learn question realize
remember reveal say see show suggest teach
tell think understand wonder
An embedded question is a phrase beginning with what, when, where, etc., that is part of a more complex sentence (much like verbs plus if/whether phrases or verbs plus that complement clauses above). Many other verbs (besides those listed directly above) that can take direct objects or that-clause can also take embedded questions as objects. The study described how African-American children in the Appalachians view reading and stories differently than White children. We didn’t realize how often that happens. She suggested how we might accomplish that.
Verb + (that) + subjunctive verb or that...should advise beg command demand
insist instruct order prefer
propose recommend request rule
suggest
These verbs take an older verb form known as subjunctive (for contrary-to-fact and other such situations). These look different from other verbs in the third person singular, where the verb has no -s ending like other verbs. This is older and more former style, and increasingly in contemporary English this is being replaced with should. The arbiter recommended that the company pay $100 million in restitution / that the company should pay $100 million in restitution. The judge ruled that bail be lowered / that bail should be lowered.
Say, speak, tell Second language learners often have difficulty with the verbs say, speak, tell. Functionally, say and tell are true reporting verbs – “X said such-and-such,” “X told her such-and-such,” with direct or indirect quotations, while speak is not so much a reporting verb for quotations, but simply a verb of uttering (speaking words or sentences). The verbs say and speak can take direct objects, or with a preposition like to (“don’t speak to me,” “say it to 3
him”), while tell can take an indirect object, with the sense of conveying information rather than just vocally articulating (“tell me what it is”). verb
definition
type of direct object
say
to utter words; to words, a statement / express in words, state, utterance, a whole text or indicate discourse; indirect discourse or that-clause
examples say a few words, say what’s on your mind, say something, say that you’ll go, my watch says [indiates] (that) it’s time to go, say “cheese”
speak to utter words, to articulate sounds
words, a statement, an utterance, a language
speak a language, speak German, speak nonsense, speak to someone (about...)
tell
a story, a narrative, a statement, a piece of information also + INDIRECT OBJECT
tell me your name, tell a story, tell me what you said, tell me the truth
to give an account, relate, inform, announce, reveal
Blame, criticize Koreans also confuse blame and criticize, using the word blame when criticize would be more suitable, as criticize is more general in meaning. Here are their dictionary definition: blame: hold someone responsible; find fault with someone; assigning fault for a specific action, behavior, error or failure; criticize: to find fault with someone, judge negatively, negatively evaluate, censure
Thus, criticize is more like pointing out faults (including general faults or failures) or negatively judging someone, while blame has more to to with assigning fault, cause, or liability for a specific error.
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