Reported Speech

1
Reported Speech

• Imperatives

2
Reported Speech Orders and requests

• We report orders with tellobject(not)
  infinitive
• Example D.S Take the pills before breakfast
  the doctor said
• I.S The doctor told me to take the pills
  before breakfast
• D.S Dont smoke! the
  doctor said
• I.S The doctor told me not to smoke.
• We report requests with ask object (not)
  infinitive
• Example D.S Can you park the car
  here,please? asked Peter
• I.S Peter asked me to park the car
  there.
• D.S Would you mind not
  leaving the car here? asked Peter
• I.S Peter asked me not to leave the car
  there.

3
Reported Speech suggestions, advice, offers,

• We report advice with the reporting verb
  adviseobject infinitive
• Example D.S Think again before you decide ,
  he advised me.
• I.S The lawyer advised me to think
  again before I decide.
• We report offers with the reporting verb offer
  infinitive
• Example D.S Ill baby-sit tonight she said.
• I.S He offered to baby-sit tonight / that
  night.

4

• We do not use infinitive structures with the verb
  suggest. Instead
• suggest that p.pronoun should
• suggest __ing
• suggest that p.pronoun verb without to
• Example D.S Try the main car park the
  porter suggested.
• The porter suggested that I should try the main
  car park.
• The porter suggested trying the main car park.
• The porter suggested that I try the main car
  part.

5
Reported COMMANDS

• Reported commands use a personal direct object
  and the infinitive.
• The negative uses not before to infinitive.
• A number of verbs can be used for reported
  commands e.g. tell, order, command, warn,
  instruct, etc
• Stop! - He told the children to stop.
• Be quiet, children. She told the children to
  be
• quiet.
• Dont stop! He told them not to stop.
• Dont go! He told me not to go.

6
Reported REQUESTS

• Reported requests have the same grammatical form
  as reported commands.
• Reported requests usually use ask as the main
  verb.
• There is a difference between a reported offer
  and a reported request.
• Would you open the door, please?
• She asked me to open the door.
• Could you lend me some money, please?
• He asked me to lend him some money.
• note difference in meaning He told me to lend
  him some money.
• Offer Would you like a cigar?
• He asked if I would like a cigar.
• Request Would you pass me a cigar?
• He asked me to pass him a cigar.

7
EXAMPLES...

• ORDERS
• Dad says, Come home, boys!
• Mum says, Be quiet, girls!
• The cops say, Stop and stand still!

• Dad tells the boys to come home.
• Mum tells the girls to be quiet.
• The cops tell to stop and stand still.
•  

• REQUESTS
• I say to Ben, Sit down, please!
• Little Mary says, Tell me a story!
• Mum says to us, Be careful, please!

I ask Ben to sit down. Little Mary asks to tell
her a story. Mum asks us to be careful.
PROHIBITIONS Ted says, Dont argue, Bob! She
says to me, Dont cry! Dad says,Dont play
with fire, boys!
Ted asks ( tells) Bob not to argue. She asks me
not to cry. Dad tells the boys not to play with
fire.
8
EXAMPLES...

• ORDERS
• Dad said, Come home, boys!
• Mum said, Be quiet, girls!
• The cops said, Stop and stand still!

• Dad told the boys to come home.
• Mum told the girls to be quiet.
• The cops told to stop and stand still.
•  

• REQUESTS
• I said to Ben, Sit down, please!
• Little Mary said, Tell me a story!
• Mum said to us, Be careful, please!

I asked Ben to sit down. Little Mary asked to
tell her a story. Mum asked us to be careful.
PROHIBITIONS Ted said, Dont argue, Bob! She
said to me, Dont cry! Dad said,Dont play
with fire, boys!
Ted asked ( told) Bob not to argue. She asked
me not to cry. Dad told the boys not to play
with fire.
9
EXAMPLES...

• ORDERS
• Dad said, Come home, boys!
• Mum said, Be quiet, girls!
• The cops said, Stop and stand still!

• Dad told the boys to come home.
• Mum told the girls to be quiet.
• The cops commanded to stop and stand.
•  

• REQUESTS
• I said to Ben, Sit down, please!
• Little Mary said, Tell me a story!
• Mum said to us, Be careful, please!

I begged Ben to sit down. Little Mary asked to
tell her a story. Mum reminded us to be careful.
PROHIBITIONS Ted said, Dont argue, Bob! She
said to me, Dont cry! Dad said,Dont play
with fire, boys! Instead of traditional
ask(s), asked
tell(s), told
Ted reminded Bob not to argue. She advised me
not to cry. Dad warned the boys not to play with
fire. beg, remind, advise command, warn ....
can be used
10
Reported Speech / Indirect Speech Imperative
Sentences

• Direct Speech He said, Lie down slowly, Tom.
• Indirect Speech He told Tom to lie down slowly.
•  
• Direct Speech Dont swim out too far, boys,
  said the coach.
• Indirect Speech The coach warned the boys not to
  swim out too far.
•  
• Direct Speech The boy said to his friend, Please
  play that tune again.
• Indirect Speech The boy requested his friend to
  play that tune again.
•  
• Direct Speech Order in Court, said the judge to
  the people in the court.
• Indirect Speech The judge commanded the people in
  the court to keep order.
•  
• Direct Speech Dont write on the wall! he said
  to May.
• Indirect Speech He ordered May not to write on
  the wall.
•  
• Direct Speech Please, please dont take any
  risks, said his wife.
• Indirect Speech His wife begged him not to take
  any risks.
•  

11
Reported Speech / Indirect Speech Imperative
Sentences

• 1. Change the imperative form into the
  to-infinitive clause.
• a.) For the affirmative imperative form,
  to-infinitive is used
• E.g. He said, Lie down slowly, Tom.
• He told Tom to lie down
•  
• b) For the negative imperative form, not
  to-infinitive is used. 
• E.g.Dont swim out too far, boys, said the
  coach.
• The coach warned the boys not to swim out too
  far.
•  
•  
•  
•  

12
Reported Speech / Indirect Speech Imperative
Sentences

• 2. Change the reporting verb into one that
  matches the function of the imperative.
• E.g. The boy said to his friend, Please play
  that tune again.
• The boy requested his friend to play that tune
  again.
• Notes
• It is necessary to use more than one reporting
  verb if the direct speech contains more than one
  sentence.
• Example
• Dont argue with Kassim, my mother said. Get
  on with your work.
• My mother told me not to argue with Kassim and
  asked me to get on with my work.

13
Change the imperatives from Direct to Indirect
Speech.
No. Direct Speech Indirect Speech
1. Keep a record of your expenses, I said to Hassan.
2. Talk to the manager first, she said to me.
3. Please pay the bill, Andrew said.
4. Meet me at the station? Diana said.
5. Take off your coat before entering the hall, he said.
6. Show me your passport, please, said the officer
7. Post some letters for me, said my boss.
8. Do sit down, said my hostess.
9. Dont forget to order the wine, said Mrs Raja.
10. Go on, apply for the job, said Jack.
14
No. Direct Speech Indirect Speech
11. Please go ashore if you are not travelling, he said
12. Be quiet, will you? he said.
13. He said, Dont open the windows.
14. He says, Come and see me at the office immediately.
15. He said, If she leaves the house, follow her.
16. Try again, said Anns friends encouragingly.
17. Remember to switch off all the lights, she said.to her sister.
18. Study harder for the exam, En.Ahmad told the class.
19. Evacuate the area! ordered the superintendent.
20. He said, If your brakes are bad, dont drive so fast.
21. Lets finish the group assignment, Asiah said to me.
15
No. Direct Speech Indirect Speech
22. Let the boys join the excursion, said the headmaster to the teacher.
23. Help me someone! My child is locked in the attic! the neighbour cried out.
24. Justin, go to your room right now and stay there until dinner time. You have been very naughty, said Lillian.
25. Forget all about this young man, said her parents dont see him again or answer his letters.