7.42 reporting intentions and hopes

When you are reporting an action that the speaker (the subject of the reporting verb) intends to perform, you can report it in two ways. You can either report it simply as an action, using a 'to'-infinitive clause, or you can report it as a statement or fact, using a 'that'-clause.

For example, promises relate to actions (eg 'He promised to phone her') but they can also be seen as relating to facts (eg 'He promised that he would phone her').

The verb group in the 'that'-clause always contains a modal.

• I promised to come back.
• She promised that she would not leave hospital until she was better.
• I decided to withhold the information till later.
• She decided that she would leave her money to him.
• I had vowed to fight for their freedom.
• He vowed that he would ride at my side into Mexico.

Here is a list of verbs which can be used either with a 'to'-infinitive clause or with a 'that'-clause containing a modal:

• decide, expect, guarantee, hope, pledge, promise, propose, resolve, swear, threaten, vow