Handout: Reporting Verbs
What are reporting verbs?
Reporting verbs are verbs used to introduce something someone else says, writes, or believes. They are used to report other people’s ideas, and sometimes to introduce other people’s exact words (quotations).
The Most Common Reporting Verbs
believes
This is one of the most basic, neutral reporting verbs. It is used to paraphrase someone's idea. It does not judge the idea or imply anything about it.
> It is not usually used to introduce a quotation.
> The subject is always a person, not a text.
Both Trenkic and Schumann believe that native English speakers are at a unique disadvantage in trying to learn other languages.
Language enthusiast Lydia Machova believes that enjoyment is the key to successful foreign language learning.
writes
This is also a basic, neutral reporting verbs. It is used to report an idea someone has expressed in written form. It does not judge the idea or imply anything about it.
> It can be used both to paraphrase an idea and to introduce a quotation.
> The subject is always a person, not a text.
Of successful language learners Nunan and Richards (2015) write, "They are highly motivated; they set targets for themselves..."
Peter Hessler writes that during his first year in Sichuan, learning Chinese was difficult because he found his teacher's style too strict and rigid.
says
This is a very colloquial reporting verb. It is used most often in journalism. In academic writing, it is rare.
> It is usually used to introduce a quotation, and can also be used to paraphrase.
> The subject is almost always a person, not a text.
Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University and author of several bestselling books, says that "each person's life is lived as a series of conversations."
"We've developed a theory called 'the interactional instinct'," Schumann says.
In her TED talk, "The Secrets of Learning a New Language," Lydia Machova says that the successful language learners she talked to used widely different strategies.
argues
This verb is used to paraphrase a writer's idea, and its meaning is similar to "believes."The difference is that "argues" is often used to report a) an idea a person has expressed in writing or in public; b) an idea that is fairly central or important, often the main idea of an argument; and c) something not everyone may agree with or that may not be true.
> It can be used to introduce a quotation, but is most often used to paraphrase
> The subject can be either a person or a text
Schumann argues that many European states are successful in cultivating bilingual societies because of active societal support and the national-level importance placed on it.
Could this interactional instinct, then, be the key to learning additional languages? Schumann argues that the situation is different in the case of foreign languages.
Vision, Dornyei's new book argues, is what is often neglected in traditional language classes.
claims
This verb, like "argues," is used to report something not everyone may agree with or that may not be true. However, it is not necessarily used to the report the main idea. Often it may be used to report a detail or lesser idea that supports or illustrates the main point in some way.
Occasionally this verb may convey a note of skepticism, implying that you disagree or think the idea is not true: "Though [person] claims that _________, I would argue that ________.
> It is usually used to paraphrase. Sometimes can it be used to introduce a quotation.
> The subject can be either a person or a text.
Dornyei's book claims that when learners vividly imagine an ideal version of themselves, they will be strongly motivated to improve in order to "narrow the gap" between their present selves and their future selves.
Many people claim that computer translation programs will soon make human translators unnecessary, but speaking as a translator, I know that no computer will ever be able to translate a novel well.
notes
The meaning of this verb is similar to "mentions" or "observes." It is often used to report a detail that is significant but which is not necessarily the author's central idea. It addition, it is often used to add to an idea already expressed, rather than introducing an idea for the first time.
> It can be used either to paraphrase an idea or to introduce a quotation
> The subject is usually a person.
When asked how this applies to learning language, Tannen notes that "wanting to have certain kind of conversations, with people one knows or wants to know, can be a huge motivator in learning a new language".
As Yang, Gu, and Liu (2013) note, "The overall teaching objective shifted from developing students' ability to exchange information in English with reading as a priority... to developing students' ability to use English in a well-rounded way..."
[Brenna] also noted that it was rather hard in the end to see how much this study effort had helped her spoken English because there was no one around for her to speak English with.
points out
This verb's meaning is quite similar to "notes." It is used to report a detail or observation, not necessarily the most important idea, but often a point that illustrates or explains the most important idea.
> It can be used either to paraphrase an idea or introduce a quotation
> The subject can be either a person or a text
Of course, people's motivation can change. Professor Zoltán Dörnyei from Nottingham University has pointed out that "every different psychological perspective on human behaviour is associated with a different theory of motivation".
As the evolutionary psychologist, linguist and bestselling science author Steven Pinker has pointed out in these pages, "our behaviours are a result of neurophysiological activity in the brain. There is no reason to believe there is any magic going on."
As Hedge (2000) points out: "It would be a mistake to assume that all adult students need persuading to adopt independent approaches."
Professors Robert Gardner and Wallace Lambert conducted pioneering work in studying motivation; they point out the importance of other qualities, such as aptitude.
explains
Obviously, this is used to report something someone explains, an idea that is difficult to understand or not obvious. It is often used to add to a previous idea -- to "take it a step farther" -- rather than express an idea for the first time.
> It can be used either to paraphrase an idea or introduce a quotation
> The subject can be either a person or a text
Researchers who study the relationship between language learning and motivation explain that some learners are "intrinsically" motivated.
"Instrumental motivation is language learning for more pragmatic or practical purposes," he explains.
"We found that those most likely to stick with it were the ones who developed a social bond within a group," Trenkic explains.
Dörnyei makes the analogy between teaching a language and creating a training plan for an Olympic athlete. Like sports coaches, he explains, "instructors should take the perspective of trainers and cheerleaders, helping learners to imagine themselves in their ideal L2 personae and thus leverage their motivation to better their learning outcomes".
suggests
This verb is used to report something a writer implies or hints at but does not state directly.
In writing, it does not usually mean "propose to do something" or "make a suggestion"--that is a different meaning of the word.
> It can only be used to paraphrase an idea; it cannot be used to report a quotation
> The subject can be either a person or a text
However, reports from the informants also suggested that oral skill practice in required middle school and university English courses was generally minimal...
As these vignettes suggest, there is quite a bit of variation in every aspect of [independent language learning]. (from Don Snow, Olivia Sun, and Xu Li, "Learning to Speak in an Exam-focused World: A Study of Independent Language Learning in China)
