Reporting Verbs for Apologizing and Admitting
When reporting apologies, admissions, and regrets, certain reporting verbs are followed by a gerund. Common verbs include: apologize for, admit, regret, deny. These verbs can be followed by either a gerund or a noun phrase.
Using Perfect Gerunds
For actions that happened before the reporting, you can use either a simple gerund or a perfect gerund. The perfect gerund (having + past participle) emphasizes that the action was completed before the reporting took place.
Examples
Direct: ‘I’m sorry for being late.’ → Reported: He apologized for being late.Basic gerund form showing how direct speech becomes reported speech
She admitted having made several mistakes in the report.Perfect gerund form emphasizing the action happened before the admission
They denied stealing/having stolen the documents.Both simple and perfect gerund forms are possible here
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Incorrect: He apologized to being late
✅ Correct: He apologized for being late
Explanation: ‘Apologize’ must be followed by ‘for’ + gerund
❌ Incorrect: She admitted to make a mistake
✅ Correct: She admitted making a mistake
Explanation: ‘Admit’ is directly followed by a gerund, without ‘to’
Tips for Success
- Remember that ‘apologize’ always needs ‘for’ before the gerund
- Use the perfect gerund (having + past participle) to emphasize that the action was completed before the reporting
- These verbs can also be followed by noun phrases: ‘apologize for the delay’, ‘admit the mistake’
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Remember that ‘apologize’ always needs ‘for’ before the gerund
- Use the perfect gerund (having + past participle) to emphasize that the action was completed before the reporting
- These verbs can also be followed by noun phrases: ‘apologize for the delay’, ‘admit the mistake’