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Biotechnology & Genetic EngineeringL02
grammar

Grammar Focus

Detailed explanation, examples and controlled practice for the unit grammar point.

60 minC1c1grammarbiotechnology-genetic-engineeringreporting verbsbiotechnologygenetic engineeringallege

Lesson objectives

  • Recognise and control Reported speech with advanced reporting verbs (allege, deny, insist, urge).
  • Notice common errors Spanish-speaking learners make at advanced level.
  • Apply the structure in exam-style sentences related to biotechnology & genetic engineering.

Explicación (en español)

En el nivel C1 Advanced, ya no basta con usar "say" o "tell" para reportar lo que alguien ha dicho. Para alcanzar una puntuación alta, debemos utilizar reporting verbs más precisos que transmitan la actitud, la intención o el tono del hablante original. En el contexto de la biotecnología, donde hay debates éticos y científicos intensos, verbos como allege, deny, insist y urge son fundamentales para reportar acusaciones, negaciones o peticiones urgentes.

La dificultad principal radica en que estos verbos no siguen una estructura única. Cada uno requiere una construcción gramatical específica (patrón). Por ejemplo, algunos verbos van seguidos de un objeto y un infinitivo (insist on someone doing), otros de una cláusula con that (allege that...), y otros de un gerundio (deny doing). Un error típico de los hispanohablantes es intentar traducir directamente del español (por ejemplo, usar "insist to do" en lugar de "insist on doing") o confundir la estructura de "suggest" con la de "urge".

Es crucial entender la diferencia de matiz. Allege se usa cuando se afirma algo que no ha sido probado (acusación); deny se usa para negar una acción pasada o presente; insist muestra determinación; y urge implica una presión fuerte para que algo se haga. En español, a menudo usamos el subjuntivo para estas estructuras, pero en inglés, la estructura depende enteramente del verbo de reporte elegido.

Form — estructura

Reporting Verb Structure Example Pattern
Allege Verb + that + clause They allege that the lab was unsafe.
Deny Verb + (-ing) / that + clause He denied stealing the samples.
Insist (on) Verb + on + (-ing) / that + clause She insisted on testing the DNA.
Urge Verb + object + to-infinitive They urged the government to regulate CRISPR.

Examples

  1. The scientist alleged that the data had been manipulated. (El científico alegó que los datos habían sido manipulados.)
  2. The corporation denied releasing modified seeds into the wild. (La corporación negó haber liberado semillas modificadas en la naturaleza.)
  3. Ethical committees urge scientists to consider the long-term consequences. (Los comités de ética instan a los científicos a considerar las consecuencias a largo plazo.)
  4. The whistleblower insisted that the gene-editing process was flawed. (El informante insistió en que el proceso de edición genética era defectuoso.)
  5. Experts urge the public to support sustainable biotechnology. (Los expertos instan al público a apoyar la biotecnología sostenible.)
  6. The company denied having violated bioethical protocols. (La empresa negó haber violado los protocolos bioéticos.)
  7. He insisted on conducting further research before publishing. (Él insistió en realizar más investigaciones antes de publicar.) {$\text{8. The journalist alleged that the virus was engineered in a lab.}$} (El periodista alegó que el virus fue diseñado en un laboratorio.)

Contrast

  1. ✗ The scientist denied to manipulate the results. ✓ The scientist denied manipulating the results. (Error: "Deny" is followed by a gerund, not a to-infinitive.)

  2. ✗ They urged that the law to be changed. ✓ They urged the government to change the law. (Error: "Urge" requires an object + to-infinitive structure.)

  3. ✗ She insisted to go to the laboratory immediately. ✓ She insisted on going to the laboratory immediately. (Error: "Insist" requires the preposition "on" followed by a gerund.)

  4. ✗ It is alleged that the company stole the patent. (Correct) / The company alleged stealing the patent. ✓ The company was alleged to have stolen the patent. (Note: If the company is the subject of the allegation, we use the passive structure or "allege that...")

Mini-quiz — 10 preguntas

Part 1: Sentence Transformation (Rewrite the sentence using the verb in brackets)

  1. "We didn't leak the genetic sequences," said the technician. (deny) The technician ____________.

  2. "You must regulate GMOs immediately!" the activists said to the council. (urge) The activists ____________.

  3. "The results are definitely accurate!" the researcher said firmly. (insist) The researcher ____________.

  4. "The company used illegal methods to clone the cells," the reporter said. (allege) It ____________.

Part 2: Multiple Choice

  1. The CEO denied __ the proprietary DNA sequences to competitors. a) to sell b) selling c) sell

  2. The committee urged the researchers __ more transparency. a) to provide b) providing c) that providing

  3. They __ that the lab was contaminated. a) alleged b) denied c) insisted

  4. She insisted __ the experiment despite the risks. a) on continuing b) to continue c) continuing

Part 3: Fill in the gaps

  1. The whistleblower urged the authorities __ (investigate) the biohazard leak.

  2. The company denied __ (know) about the faulty equipment.

Respuestas: 1. The technician denied leaking the genetic sequences. 2. The activists urged the council to regulate GMOs immediately. 3. The researcher insisted that the results were accurate / insisted on the results being accurate. 4. It was alleged that the company used illegal methods to clone the cells. 5. b 6. a 7. a 8. a 9. to investigate 10. knowing