Reported speech

In reported speech, people often report the underlying action using a reporting verb, such as advise, agree,
ask, invite, offer, order, promise, refuse, remind, etc., with an infinitive form.

She said, “OK, I’ll wait till you’re done.”
She agreed to wait until I was done.

Anne said, “I’ll proof-read your paper if you want me to.”
Anne offered to proof-read my paper.

James said, “Please be quiet.”
James asked us to be quiet.

Mandy said, “I’ll call every day.”
Mandy promised to call every day.

Bill said, “I won’t do it.”
Bill refused to do it.

Sally said, “Do come in!”
Sally invited me to come in.

Other reporting verbs are followed by the –ing form, some by prepositions and the –ing form:

David said, “I didn’t say that.”
David denied saying/having said that.

Fred said, “I’m sorry I did that.”
Fred apologized for doing/having done that.

Gisela said, “All right, it was me. I did it.”
Gisela admitted to doing/having done it.