---

When we report statements, we often use a that-clause in the reported Reminder -+ Gl- G7
clause (see Unit 32):
He said (that) he was enjoying his work.
r The members of the Security Council warned that further action may be taken.
After the more common reporting verbs such as agree, mention, notice, promise, say, and think, we
oft en leave out that, particularly in informal speech. However, it is not usually left out -
after less common reporting verbs such as complain, confide, deny, grumble, speculate, warn (and
after the common reporting verbs answer, argue, and reply)
in formal writing
if the that-clause doesn't immediately follow the verb:
She agreed with her parents and brothers that it would be safer to buy a car than a motorbike.
(rather than ... and brothers it would be safer ... )

Some reporting verbs which are followed by a that-clause have an alternative with an object +
to-infinitive (often to be), although the alternatives are often rather formal. Compare:
I felt that the results were satisfactory. and
I felt the results to be satisfactory.
I A/so: a cknowledge, assume, believe,
consider, decla re, e xpect, fi nd, presume,
report, t hink, unde rstand

If we use a that-clause after an active form of some verbs, we must include an object between the
verb and t he that-clause. This object can't be a prepositional object (see D below):
I notified the bank that I had changed my address. (but not I notified that I ... I I notified to
the bank that I ...)
Also: assure, convince, inform, persuade, reassure, remind, tell
However, after some other verbs an object before a that-clause is not always necessary:
They promised (me) that they would come to the party.
advise, show, teach, warn j
After some verbs we can use a that-clause with or without a personal object before the that-clause.
However, if we do include an object, we put a preposition before it.
After some verbs we use to:
Also: announce, complain, confess,
She admitted (to me) that she was seriously ill.
explain, indicate, mention, propose,
( I pointed out (to the driver) that he had parked
recommend, report, say, suggest
across the entrance.
,... After some verbs we use with:
We agreed (with Ella) that the information should go no further.
I A/so: argue, check, disagree, joke I
-k After the verbs ask, demand and require we use of:
The club asks (of its members) that they pay their fees by 31st December.
The company demands (of its staff) that they should be at work by 8:30.
This pattern is usually used in formal contexts. Less formally we can use a to-infinitive clause after
ask and require (e.g. The club asks its members to pay their fees by 31st December). However, we
can't use a to-infinitive clause after demand (notThe company demands its staff to ... ).
 Exercises
llJEIJI Underline the correct ver b. If both are possible, underline th em bot h. Cl
1 The doctors advised I persuaded t hat I should rest for three months.
2 The police assured I promised residents that everything possible was being done to catch the
thieves.
3 A spokesperson for the company reminded I warned that there may be delays on the railways this
summer due to major engineering work.
4 We should inform I teach children that diet is of vital importance to health.
5 Russian scientists have shown I have convinced that honey can prevent the growth of bacteria.
6 The company has reassured I has advised customers that cars ordered before 1st August would be
delivered by the end of the month.
7 Katarina told I promised that she would be home before m idnight.

If possible, rewrite these sentences in a more form al w ay w ith a to-infinitive clause. If not,
writ e X .Q
1 Two days after the launch Houston reported that the satellite was missing .
.. .Two o..fte.r.... i?le. Ho11,-ston .. re.p<?.rte-4. . so..tel.4t;e to
2 The employees argued that the reduction in wages was unlawful.
3 The judge thought that his explanation was unconvincing.
4 I expected that her plans would fa il.
5 She stressed that her stories were aimed primarily at children.
6 Lucas acknowledged that his chances of winn ing the race were slim.
7 We found that the rugby supporters were very well behaved.
8 The president's spokesman commented that the election result was a victory for democracy.

1]51:1 Complete each sentence w ith an appropriat e form of a verb from the box + to, with, or of.
More than one verb may be possi ble, but use each verb at least once. a
announce complain di sagree joke m ention requi re

Martina the shop assistant that the laptop she'd bought there was faulty.
2 She ...... . her neighbours that their dog was keeping her awake at night.
3 He . ... his friends t hat he'd won the lottery and was going to Barbados.
4 The minister shocked journalists that she was to resign immediately.
5 The college . .. .. its students that th ey attend all classes.
6 I ... Mr Jacobs that the students were lazy. I thought they were very enthusiastic.
7 I forgot to Chris that I'd be home late.

PIK TO CUT WORKFORCE

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PIK, the toy manufacturer, (1) has warned they are to make over 100 employees redundant over the next
month. Managing Director Beth Edwards yesterday (2) explained employees that a national fall in demand
for traditional toys is to blame. She (3) confessed her audience t hat management had been surprised by
the downturn, but she (4) denied management had been incompetent. When asked whether staff would
receive redundancy pay, Ms Edwards (5) replied an announcement would be made within a few days, but
(6) reassured that they would receive financial compensation. She (7) went on to complain government
help for small businesses was insufficient and (8) demanded ministers that they provide more support.
She (9) asked staff that they continue to work as normal until details of the redundancies were given. She
(10) reassured that the company would not close completely.

... Additional exercise 8 (page 245)

67
Some verbs can be followed by a clause beginning with a wh-word (how, what, when, where, which,
who, or why):
0 That might explain why he's unhappy. Also: arrange, calculate, check, choose,
( I couldn't decide which train to catch.
debate, determine, discover, discuss,
Let's consider how we can solve the problem.
establish, find out, forget, guess,
Many of these verbs can also be followed by - imagine, know, learn, notice, plan,
l-< a that-clause (see Unit 33}:
realise, remember, say, see, talk about,
_J I decided that I ought to leave. th ink (about), understand, wonder
1- a wh-clause (except 'why')+ to-infinitive:
Did you find out where to go?
Note that if we add a subject in the wh-clause we don't use a to-infinitive:
() I can't imagine what he likes about jazz.

Some verbs must have an object before the wh-clause:

She reminded me what (I had) to do. r------ - - - - - - - - - - - - .
Also: advise, inform, instruct, teach, warn
I told Linda how to get to my house.
The verbs ask and show often have an object before a wh-clause, but not always:
0 I asked (him) how I could get to the station, and he told me.
These verbs can also be followed by object+ wh-word +to-infinitive:
She taught me how to play chess.
C. I showed her where to put her coat.

We can often use the way instead of how referring to either the route or the means:
r Go back the way (that I by which) you came. (or informally Go back how you came.)
r Have you noticed the way (that I in which) he spins the ball? (or .. . noticed how he spins ... ?)
Note that we don't use 'the way how'. (e.g. not Go back the way how you came.)

Whether
We can use whether as the wh-word in a wh-clause when we want to show possible choices.
Whether has a similar meaning to 'if' (see Unit 86}:
n He couldn't remember whether I if he had turned the computer off.
Some verbs can be followed by whether +to-infinitive to talk about the choice between two or more
possibilities. Note that 'if' is never used before a to-infinitive:
You have 14 days to decide whether to keep it or not. (not ... to decide if to keep it or not.)
Also: choose, consider, debate, determine, discuss, know (in questions and negatives),
think about, wonder (='talking' or 'thinking about choices' verbs}
Some other 'talking' and 'thinking about choices' verbs are not used with whether +to-infinitive,
including ask, conclude, explain, imagine, realise, speculate, think.

Note the difference between these sentences. The first has a wh-clause with whether and the second
has a that-clause (see Unit 33):
.._, I didn't know whether the shop was shut. (=if the shop was shut or not)
C I didn't know that the shop was shut. (suggests that the shop was shut)
In rather formal contexts, particularly in writi ng, we can use as to with a meaning similar to 'about' or
'concerning' before a wh-clause. This is most common before whether:
Opinion was divided as to whether the findings from the study were representative of the
population as a whole. (or less formally ... divided whether ... )
Exercises
m Match sentence beginnings 1-10 to endings a-j and choose an appropriate wh-word to
connect them. If necessary, add an appropriate object. flli)
1 Before the meeting finished they arranged .. . a .. . to fit the parts back together.
2 He took my hands and showed . . . b ... she went after that.
3 I explained ca refully so that the students c ... to put their coats.
understood . . . d .. . to meet next.
4 Anna was new in the office and I had to keep e ... Helen wasn't with him.
reminding . . . f .. . many sweets were in the jar.
5 I saw Sarah leave the building, but I didn't notice .. . g ... they had to do in the test.
6 When I saw Hugo alone at the party I wondered . .. h ... the path was dangerous.
7 As we walked over the hills the guide warned . . . . .. everyone was.
8 After I'd dismantled the motor I couldn't remember . . . . .. to hold the golf club properly.
9 To win a prize you had to guess ...
10 As the guests came in Diego told ...
1+ d r:rieeWig ...\'JYleyi I tq meet..

- Underline the correct or more appropriate verb. CD

1 She was thinking I debating whether to invite Je remy over fo r dinner.
2 The council is meeting this morning to discuss I ask whether to increase local taxes.
3 Apparently Louis and Eva are considering I speculating whether to emigrate to Australia.
4 I have to imagine I choose whether to get a job or apply to go to college.
5 Scientists will have to decide I conclude soon whether to start testing the new drugs on people.

GD Zak Miles has written a book about mountain climbing in the Andes. Correct any mistakes in
these extracts. m
me
The villagers warned ;( what the conditions were like at higher altitudes, and
advised to take enough food for a week. There was some discussion throu gh the day
as whether the snow would arrive before my descent from the mountain, but I never
ima gined how hard the conditions would be. In the morning they showed me the way
how to get to the track up the mountain.

When the snow started falling it was very light, and I couldn't decide if to carry on
or go back down. Soon, however , I couldn't see where to go.

I wondered if to retrace my steps and try to find the track again, but by th e ti me
I decided whether I should go back, the track had disappeared.

As the snow got heavier I began to r ealise whether my life was in danger. Fortunately,
my years in the Andes had taught what to do in extreme con ditions. I knew that
ther e was a sh epherd's hut somewher e on this side of th e mountain that I could
shelter in, but I didn't know that it was nearby or miles away.

69
 We often use a passive to report what people say, t hink, etc, particularly if it is not important to
me ntion who is being reported:
0 People in the area have been told that they should stay indoors.
0 Everyone was asked to bring some food to the party.
Another common way of reporting what is said by an unspecified group of people is to use it +
passive verb+ that-clause (see Unit 33 fo r more on that-clauses). Using this pattern allows us to
put important information at the end of the sentence (see Unit 24C):
It is reported that t he damage is extensive. (compare The damage is extensive, according to
government sources.)
(J It was decided that the meeting should be cancelled. (or It was decided to cancel the
meeting.)
Also: allege, announce, assume, believe, calculate, claim, consider, demonstrate, discover,
establish, estimate, expect, feel, find, know, mention, recommend, reveal, say, show, suggest,
suppose, think, understand; agree, decide, hope, intend, plan, propose (can also be followed by
a to-infinitive clause)

Note that ma ny other verbs connected with reporting are not used with it + passive verb +that-
clause, but can be used as in A:
We have been informed that we have to leave. A/so: encourage, persuade, reassure,
(but not It has info rmed us .. .) .__re
_m_ in_d_,_t_e_ll_, _w_a_r_n _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
These verbs need a personal object before the that-clause in an active form (e.g. They have informed
us that .. .)

An alternat ive to it + passive verb + that-clause is to use subject + passive verb + to-infinitive if we
want the subject to be the topic of t he sentence (see Unit 24C). Compare:
J It is reported that the damage is extensive. and
0 The damage is reported to be extensive.
Most of the verbs listed in the first white box in 8 can also be used in this pattern except for
announce, decide, mention, propose, recommend, suggest.
We can only use tell in this pattern when it mea ns 'order'. So we can say:
' I I was told (= ordered) to go with them to the railway station.
. ' .
but not 'The accident was told (=said) to have happened just after midnight'.

D With some verbs we can also use it + passive verb + wh-clause to report information given or found
out:
It has now been revealed who was responsible for the accident.
L The decision to build the bridge was t aken before it was established whether it was actually
needed.
Also: discover, explain, find, know, reveal, show, understand

When a that-clause begins that + there ... , we can make a corresponding passive form there +
passive verb + to be I to have been. Compare:
u It is thought (that) there are too many obstacles to peace. and
r There are thought to be too ma ny obstacles to peace.
We can use the same verbs in this pattern as with subject + passive verb + to-infinitive (see C).

50
Exercises
Which of the verbs in brackets can complete the sentence? Underline one or both. (DD
1 It was to hold new negotiations next month. (agreed I announced')
2 It has been ... t hat the crash was t he result of pilot error. (proposed I shown)
3 It was that Mrs Ho would chai r the meeting. (hoped I explained')
4 It has been to appoi nt Dr Ahmadi as head teacher. (decided I suggested')
5 It has not yet been who was responsible for the error. (claimed I explained')
6 It has now been that half of cancer cases are lifestyle-related.
(established I revealed')
7 It is to em ploy 500 people in the factory. (expected I intended')
8 It is to close t he library permanently from next April. (planned I recommended')
9 It is t hat another moon landing will take place next year. (assumed I thought)
10 It has been how spiders are able to travel across t he sea . (discovered I said')

If possible, rewrite these newspaper headlines as passive sentences with it. If not, write X.
an
AGREEMENT lHAT UN Will SEND IN TROOPS
It 11M [Link] tj-io..t. . .UN [Link].L g .n4.. i.n t:roops . .....
2
PATIENTS REASSURED ABOUT HOSPITAL SAFETY
3
WATER DISCOVERED ON MARS
4
TERRORISTS BELIEVED TO BE OPERATING IN BERLIN
5
MOON ASTRONAUTS EXPECTED TO RETURN TODAY
6
EX-PRESIDENT JULIUS REVEALED AS SPY
7
WARNING GIVEN ABOUT COMPUTER VIRUS
8
KING SAID TO BE MAKING GOOD RECOVERY
9
RESTAURANT ESTABLISHED AS SOURCE OF FOOD POISONING OUTBREAK
10
POLICE TOLD TO WORK LONGER HOURS

fm Write two new sentences for each numbere d sentence below, using it + passive verb +that-
clause in one sentence and subject + passive verb+ to-infinitive in the other. (The second
pattern may not a lways be possible.) a
(1) We have discovered that a mechanical fa ult
caused the problem. (2) We don't think that the
fault is serious. (3) We expect that it will take several
weeks to correct the fault. (4) We have decided to
postpone the next rocket launch, and (5) we suggest
that the next launch should take place in May.

It has been discovered that a mechanical fa ult caused the problem. I A mechanical fa ult was
discovered to have caused the problem.
e xercise 6 (page 243) 51