7.7 Reporting verb + THAT-clause

verb + that-clause

Employee: ... and so far I haven't received a negative response to my work.
The employee added that up to that point he hadn't received a negative response to his work.

George: Well, I had difficulty answering some of the questions.
George admitted that he had had difficulty answering some of the questions.

Chris: Yes, it was a great film.
Chris agreed that the film was great.

Matthew: Do you want to have a cup of coffee sometime?
Joanna: Sorry, but you're not my type.
When Matthew asked her out, Joanna answered/replied that he was not her type.

Rev. Johansson: All humans are born equal.
Reverend Johansson believes that all humans are born equal.

Julie to her neighbour's wife: You may not believe me, but I saw your husband with a blonde girl in the disco on Saturday.
Julie claimed that she had seen her neighbour with a blonde girl in the disco on Saturday.

Student to his friend: I hate having to write tons of essays every semester.
The student complained that he had to write a lot of essays.

Julie to her neighbour: Yes, it was me who started that ugly rumour about you. I'm sorry.
Julie confessed that she had started an ugly rumour about her neighbour.

Secretary to a colleague: That's right, the meeting is on Tuesday.
The secretary confirmed that the meeting was on Tuesday.

Customer: I don't think I'll buy this notebook after all.
The customer decided that he wouldn't buy the notebook.

Francesco: No, I didn't bump your car.
Francesco denied that he had bumped my car.

Student: I don't think that we could convince the professor that this is not plagiarism.
The student doubted that they could convince the professor that it was not plagiarism.

Jill: I can make fire with a stick. You know, my father taught me how to do it when I was a child.
Jill explained that her father had taught her how to make fire with a stick when she was a child.

Alex: Well, I think we should back her up in this terrible situation.
Alex felt that they should back her up in that terrible situation.

Chef: I hope nobody will notice that this is not turkey but pork.
The chef was hoping that nobody would notice that it was not turkey but pork.

Secretary to boss: I'm absolutely sure that I shredded those documents.
The secretary insisted that she had shredded the documents.

Tom: Once I get back to school, I'm going to take up swimming again.
Tom mentioned that he was going to take up swimming again.

David: I will be on time, I promise.
David promised that he would be on time.

Wife to husband: As I've told you before, I'd like to invite Dan and Margaret as well.
The wife repeated that she wanted to invite Dan and Margaret as well.

Camila: It may have been Mario who bumped your car.
Camila suggested that it might have been Mario who had bumped my car.