Search blog

Mastering the structure and usage of Insist in English and practice exercises

Insist is a common grammatical concept in English; however, there is still confusion among many individuals regarding its usage, leading to frequent confusion with other words. In this article, PREP will offer you a thorough understanding of Insist in English from start to finish, addressing the question of "Which prepositions does 'Insist' pair with?" Additionally, practice exercises with answers will be provided for your reference. Explore this information and use it as a valuable resource!

I. What is Insist in English?

What is Insist? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Insist functions as a verb in a sentence. It can be translated as "to demand or assert something firmly". For example:

She insisted on paying for dinner even though it was her birthday.
Despite his injury, he insisted on participating in the marathon.

II. Word family of Insist in English

Let’s check out the other words in the family of Insist with PREP!

Word	Meaning	Example
Insistent (adjective)	demanding something and refusing to accept any opposition or excuses	Her insistent requests for a promotion finally paid off when she demonstrated her dedication to the company.
Insistence (noun)	an act of demanding or saying something clearly and refusing to accept any opposition or excuses	At her father’s insistence, Amelia’s been moved into a new class.
Insistently (adverb)	in a way that demands something and refuses to accept any opposition or excuses	She insistently asked for an explanation, refusing to accept the vague response.

III. The usage of Insist in English

Below are the two most common ways to use the Insist structure. How are "Insist + on" and "Insist + that" used? Take a look below for reference!

Structure

Insist on something

(Noun/ Noun Phrase/ V-ing)

Insist that someone do something

(Insist + S + V-inf)

Meaning

Emphasize, stress, or strongly assert something

Be resolute, firmly state what someone must do

Example

She insisted on speaking with the manager to resolve the issue.

The teacher insisted that the students complete their assignments on time.

IV. Synonymous words/phrases to Insist in English

In the below table, PREP has collected and compiled some synonymous words/phrases for Insist. Take a look and reference them right away!

Synonym	Example
Assert	Mr. Smith always asserts his viewpoint in meetings.
Demand	Rose demanded a refund for the defective product.
Maintain	John maintains that he is innocent.
Contend	The lawyer will contend that his client was not at the scene of the crime.
Reiterate	The government has reiterated its refusal to compromise with terrorists.
Persist	Despite the challenges, Lisa persisted in her efforts to succeed.
Be unwavering	Her belief in the project has been unwavering.
Stand firm	The protesters stood firm as the police tried to disperse them.
Emphasize strongly	Mr.John emphasized strongly the importance of teamwork.
Hold one’s ground	David held his ground in the face of criticism.
Stick to one’s guns	Jisoo stuck to her guns and refused to compromise
Stand one’s ground	The protesters stood their ground against the authorities.
Stand one’s point	He stood his point during the negotiation.
Insist on one’s position	She insisted on her position regarding the new policy.

V. Exercises on Insist in English & Detailed answer

After understanding the theoretical part above, please practice the following exercises to gain a deeper understanding of Insist.

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Give the correct form of the verbs in parentheses

The chef insisted on (use) only the freshest ingredients for the meal.
Despite his busy schedule, he insisted on (spend) quality time with his family.
She insisted that her friend (apologize) for the misunderstanding.
He insisted that the company (implement) stricter security measures.
Despite the bad weather, they insisted on (go) camping.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

Despite my _______ warnings, he proceeded with the risky investment.
1. Insist
2. Insistent
3. Insistently
The child _______ tugged at his mother’s sleeve, demanding her attention
1. Insist
2. Insistent
3. Insistently
She _______ on seeing her lawyer.
1. Insists
2. Insistent
3. Insistently

Exercise 3: Rewrite the following sentences using "insist."

She demanded that her team work overtime to finish the project.
He requested that the company provide him with additional training.
They asked that their customers fill out a satisfaction survey.
The teacher required that her students submit their assignments by Friday.
The boss ordered that the employees attend a mandatory meeting.

Detailed Answer:

She insisted that her team work overtime to finish the project.
He insisted that the company provide him with additional training.
They insisted that their customers fill out a satisfaction survey.
The teacher insisted that her students submit their assignments by Friday.
The boss insisted that the employees attend a mandatory meeting.

2. Answer keys

Exercise 1:

using
spending
apologize
implement
going

Exercise 2:

B. Insistent
C. Insistently
A. Insists

Hopefully, the knowledge provided by PREP here has helped you have a better understanding of how to use Insist in English. Please continue to follow PREP regularly to stay updated with more useful and interesting English knowledge!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.