Reported Speech

1. •For orders or commands
•For requests

2. Orders / Commands
Sometimes people tell us to do something
directly in this way:
Example:
The doctor: “Get plenty of rest.”
Reported Speech:
The doctor told me TO GET plenty of rest.
OR
The doctor said TO GET plenty of rest.

3. More examples . . .
The teacher: “Take a break.”
The teacher told us TO TAKE a break.
John: “Call me later.”
John told me TO CALL HIM later.
My mom: “Don’t stay up late.”
My mom said NOT TO STAY up late.

4. Notice that we use the infinitive form
for this type of reported speech.
*No past forms
The teacher told us ___________
a break.
•Notice also that we never use THAT here:
The teacher told us THAT to take a
break.

5. Requests
Someone asks us to do something
and we want to report this to
another person. EXAMPLE:
My sister:
“Can you help me cook dinner?”
Reported Speech:
My sister asked me to help
her cook dinner.

6. More examples . . .
The teacher: “Can you turn off your cell phone?”
The teacher asked me TO TURN off
my cell phone.
John: “Will you call me later?”
John asked me TO CALL HIM later.
My mom: “Can you come visit me soon?”
My mom asked me TO COME visit her soon.

7. Notice that again, we use the
infinitive form for this type of reported
speech.
*No past forms
Notice also that we never use THAT
here.
The only difference between reporting
commands and reporting requests is:

8. Compare the 2 structures:
Cindy:
“Help me move this desk.”
“Could you help me move this desk?”
Reported speech:
Cindy TOLD US to help her move the/that.
desk.
Cindy ASKED US to help her move the/that
desk.

9. Your turn to practice:
Change the following to reported
speech. Some sentences are:
(1) statements
(2) commands
(3) requests
Write the answers
on your paper.

10. 1. Tom: “Could you open the window?
2. The teacher: “You haven’t handed in your
homework yet.” *teacher = female
3. My sister: “Send me pictures from your
trip to Hawaii.”
4. Melissa: “I have a new dog.”
5. My neighbour: “Can you help me paint my
house? *neighbour = male

11. 1. Tom asked me to open the window.
2. The teacher said I hadn’t handed in my
homework yet.
3. My sister told me to send pictures from
my trip to Hawaii.
4. Melissa said she had a new dog.
5. My neighbour asked me to help him paint
his house.