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Reported Commands and Requests

The document discusses how to report commands, requests, and offers in indirect speech. It states that there is no backshift of tenses in reported speech for these utterances, only the person and expressions of time/place need to change. For affirmative commands and requests, the verb "to tell" or "to ask" is used followed by "to + infinitive". For negative commands and requests, "not" is added before the "to + infinitive". Introductory verbs like "tell", "order", and "insist" can be used to report commands.

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William Lee
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33 views2 pages

Reported Commands and Requests

The document discusses how to report commands, requests, and offers in indirect speech. It states that there is no backshift of tenses in reported speech for these utterances, only the person and expressions of time/place need to change. For affirmative commands and requests, the verb "to tell" or "to ask" is used followed by "to + infinitive". For negative commands and requests, "not" is added before the "to + infinitive". Introductory verbs like "tell", "order", and "insist" can be used to report commands.

Uploaded by

William Lee
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reported Commands and Requests

1. Basic Points

There is no backshift of tenses with commands/requests/offers/promises etc., in


Reported Speech.

You only have to change the person and shift expressions of time/place as
described on our page Reported Speech – A Summary

2. Reported Commands.

Form

● affirmative commands → to + infinitive


● negative commands → not + to + infinitive

2.1. Affirmative commands

● Direct Speech → Mum: “Tidy your room.”


● Reported Speech → Mum told me to tidy my room.

2.2. Negative commands

● Direct Speech → Policeman: “Don’t park there.”


● Reported Speech → The policeman told me not to park there.

2.3. The introductory sentence in commands etc.,

The word tell is often used in introductory sentences in Reported Commands but
others are possible such as order, insist, command etc.,

Direct Speech

● Dad: “Do your homework.”

Reported Speech

● Dad told me to do my homework.


3. Reported Requests etc

Requests are when someone asks you to do something in a polite way.

Form

● affirmative request → asked me + to + infinitive


● negative request → asked me + not + to + infinitive

3.1. Affirmative commands

● Direct Speech → Speaker: “Could you close the window, please?”


● Reported Speech → She asked me to close the window.

3.2. Negative commands

● Direct Speech → Speaker: “Could you not make so much .”


● Reported Speech → She asked me not to make so much noise.

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