Question 1

How do I use "suggest" and "recommend" in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

"Suggest" and "recommend" can be followed by three different patterns: 1) the gerund: "She suggested going to the park." 2) that + subjunctive, using the base form of the verb: "She suggested that he go to the doctor" — note "go," not "goes," because the subjunctive uses the base form for all subjects. 3) that + should: "She recommended that I should apply for the job." Never use the infinitive directly after "suggest" — "She suggested to go" is grammatically incorrect in English. The gerund pattern is most common in everyday British English, while the subjunctive is more formal and more common in American English.

Question 2

What is the difference between "say" and "tell" in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

"Say" does not require a person as its object: "He said he was tired" is complete. "Tell" always requires a person as the indirect object: "He told me he was tired." Never say "He said me" (wrong — "say" cannot take a personal object directly) or "He told that he was tired" (wrong — "tell" must have a person before the reported clause). Other useful patterns: "say something to someone" ("He said to me that he was tired") and "tell someone something" ("He told me the truth"). In reported speech, "tell" is often more specific because it shows who received the message.

Question 3

How do "apologise," "thank," and "congratulate" work in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

These verbs follow specific preposition + gerund patterns that must be memorised. "Apologise for + -ing": "Sorry I'm late" → "She apologised for being late." "Thank for + -ing/noun": "Thanks for your help" → "He thanked me for my help" or "He thanked me for helping." "Congratulate on + -ing/noun" (never "for"): "Well done on your exam!" → "She congratulated me on passing my exam." The preposition choice is important: "congratulated for" is incorrect — always use "on." Remember to change pronouns as well: "Thank you for your help" → "He thanked me for my help."

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