VII. Reported commands / requests
/ suggestions/ orders /advice
To report
commands, requests, suggestions, instructions, etc., in reported speech we use
an appropriate introductory verb ( advise, ask, order......) and the
to-infinitive, -ing form or that-clause, depending on the introductory verb.
·
question word +
infinitive He asked her how to make
a white sauce. Don’t tell me what to do.
·
we do not use infinitive
structures after suggest and say ( instructions can be reported with that-clause)
He suggested that I try the main car park . (not: He suggested me to
try.....)
The policeman said that I
mustn’t park there. (not: The policeman said me not to
park there.)
·
suggest + Ving ; suggest + person + infinitive; suggest + that + person +should + infinitive
She
suggested going out that afternoon.
She suggested Lucy try a new restaurant.
She suggested
that
they should stay at home for the holiday.
·
the verb + pronoun +
to
‘Stand up straight,’ the sergeant
shouted. é The
sergeant told the soldiers to stand up straight.
Introductory Verbs
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Introductory Verb
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Direct Speech
|
Reported Speech
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|
+
to-infinitive
agree
*claim
*demand
offer
*promise
refuse
*threaten
|
‘Yes, I’ll drive you home’.
‘I’ve won
£1,000,000.’
‘Give me your wallet’
‘Would you like me to help?’
I’ll meet you at the cafe’.
‘No, I won’t do the shopping’.
‘Be quiet or I’ll send you to your room’.
|
He agreed
to drive me home.
He claimed
to have won £1,000,000 .
He demanded
to be given my wallet.
He offered
to help.
He
promised to meet me at the cafe.
He refused
to do the shopping.
She threatened
to send me to my room if I wasn’t quite.
|
|
+
smb +to-infinitive
advise
allow
ask
beg
command
encourage
forbid
invite
order
*
remind
warn
|
‘You should
eat less junk food’
‘You can go to
the party’
‘Could you
open the window?’
‘Please, don’t
hurt me’
‘Give me all
your money’
‘You should
study maths’.
‘You mustn’t
park here.’
‘Will you come
to my party?’
‘Stop
talking!’
‘Don’t forget
to feed the dog’
‘Don’t touch
those wires.’
|
He advised
me to eat less junk food.
He allowed
me to go to the party.
He asked
me to open the window.
He begged
me not to hurt him.
He commanded
them to give him all their money.
He encouraged
me to study maths.
He
forbade me to park there.
He invited
me to (go to) his party.
He ordered
me to stop talking.
He reminded
me to feed the dog.
He warned
me not to touch the wires.
|
|
+
ing form
accuse
smb of
*admit
(to)
apologise
for
*boast
about/of
*complain
(to smb) of
*deny
*insist
on
*suggest
|
‘You stole my gold watch’
‘Yes, I lied to you’.
‘I’m sorry I broke your mug’
‘I’m the best tennis player in the
world’.
‘ I live very far away from the city
centre’
‘No, I didn’t use your keys’.
‘You must rest more’
‘Let’s go to the cinema’
|
‘He accused
him of stealing/having stolen his gold watch.
He admitted
(to) lying/having lied to me.
He apologised
for breaking my mug.
He boasted
about/of being the best tennis player in the world.
She
complained (to me) of living very
far away from the city centre.
He denied
using/having used my keys.
He
insisted on me/my resting more.
He suggested
going to the cinema.
|
|
+
that-clause
explain
inform
smb
exclaim
/ remark
|
‘I liked his latest film because it was
exciting’.
‘The manager will be back at
‘What a glorious day!’
|
She explained
that she liked his latest film because it was exciting.
He informed
us that the manager would be back at
He exclaimed/remarked
that it was a glorious day.
|
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explain
to smb +how
|
‘That’s how it works’
|
He explained to us how it worked.
|
G The verbs marked with an
asterisk (*) can also be followed by a that-clause in reported speech.
|
1) He claimed that he had
won £1,000,000.
2) He demanded that I should
give him my wallet.
3) He promised that he would
meet me at the train station..
4) He threatened that he
would leave.
5) He reminded me that I had
a meeting that afternoon.
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6) He admitted that he was
wrong
7) He boasted that he was
very rich.
8) He complained that he
didn’t earn enough money.
9) He denied that he had
taken the money.
10) He insisted that I
(should) work on Saturday.
11) He suggested that we go to the cinema.
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