What are reporting verbs?
A reporting verb is any verb that introduces what someone said, found, acknowledged, or recommended. In aviation English — especially in investigation reports and regulatory correspondence — these verbs carry considerable weight. They tell the reader not just that something was said, but how it was said and what it implies. Choosing between stated, acknowledged, and revealed is not a stylistic preference; each describes a different communicative act.
During the NTSB hearings on the Boeing MD-11 engine pylon failure in Louisville, every reporting verb shaped the reader’s interpretation: Boeing acknowledging that replacement had been framed as advisory is a very different thing from Boeing stating a technical fact.
Key types of reporting verb
The examples below draw directly from the recent NTSB investigation story.
Neutral assertion — said, stated, noted
Use when conveying information without implying judgment about what was said.
“Boeing stated that the bearing’s fracture had altered load distribution across the dual-lug attachment in ways the original engineers had not anticipated.”
Revealing or establishing — revealed, established, demonstrated, showed
These verbs suggest the information was hidden, disputed, or newly confirmed through evidence.
“Two days of hearings revealed that Boeing had known about the cracking risk for more than two decades.”
“The data established a pattern of outer race fractures dating back to 2002.”
Acknowledging or conceding — acknowledged, admitted, conceded
The speaker accepts something unflattering or previously disputed.
“Boeing witnesses acknowledged that replacement had been framed as advisable rather than mandatory.”
Signalling findings or recommendations — indicated, found, suggested, recommended
Typically used by investigative bodies; indicated is softer than confirmed, and suggested leaves room for uncertainty.
“The NTSB indicated that a full investigative report will be released later this year.”
“Investigators found that only four of the ten prior incidents had been formally reported to the FAA.”
Try these
Choose the reporting verb that best fits each context. Pay attention to the subtle differences in meaning between the options.
- The two-day investigation hearing _____ that Boeing had been aware of the spherical bearing risk since 2002.
a) mentioned b) revealed c) demanded - Boeing witnesses _____ that the component’s replacement had been framed as advisable rather than mandatory.
a) acknowledged b) claimed c) insisted - The NTSB has _____ that mandatory replacement orders for the MD-11 fleet may follow the full investigative report.
a) confirmed b) promised c) indicated - The Louisville hearings _____ that institutional knowledge of a safety risk is not, by itself, sufficient to prevent a fatal accident.
a) demonstrated b) suggested c) explained - Investigators _____ evidence of at least ten prior incidents involving the same spherical bearing, dating back to 2002.
a) submitted b) presented c) included - The NTSB _____ that had all ten bearing failures been properly reported, a pattern would have been visible to regulators decades earlier.
a) argued b) noted c) ordered
Take it further
Reporting verbs appear across every register in aviation English — from accident reports to regulatory correspondence to industry journalism. Browse our CEFR C1 archive and you will find dozens of authentic examples of these verbs doing real work in context.