7.27 verbs used with 'that'-clauses

Here is a list of verbs which are often used as reporting verbs with 'that'-clauses:

• accept, acknowledge, add, admit, agree, allege, announce, answer, argue, assert, assume, assure, believe, boast, claim, comment, complain, concede, conclude, confirm, consider, contend, convince, decide, deny, determine, discover, dispute, doubt, dream, elicit, estimate, expect, explain, fear, feel, figure, find, foresee, forget, gather, guarantee, guess, hear, hold, hope, imagine, imply, inform, insist, judge, know, learn, maintain, mean, mention, note, notice, notify, object, observe, perceive, persuade, pledge, pray, predict, promise, prophesy, read, realize, reason, reassure, recall, reckon, record, reflect, remark, remember, repeat, reply, report, resolve, reveal, be rumoured, say, see, sense, state, suggest, suppose, swear, teach, tell, think, threaten, understand, vow, warn, wish, worry, write

Note that some of these verbs are only used in report structures in some of their senses. For example, if you say 'He accepted a present' you are using 'accept' as an ordinary transitive verb.

A few of these verbs can or must be used with an object referring to the hearer. See paragraphs 7.71 to 7.72.

Some of these verbs, such as 'decide' and 'promise', can also be used with a 'to'-infinitive clause. See paragraphs 7.36 and 7.42.

Some other verbs, such as 'advise' and 'order', can be used as reporting verbs with 'that'-clauses only if the 'that'-clause contains a modal or a subjunctive. 'That'-clauses of this kind are discussed in paragraph 7.40.