reported speech request and command

Reported Speech (Part 2) – Requests, Orders, and Questions

My colleague asked me to help him update his computer.

Read Reported Speech (Part 1) to learn how to make reported statements.

In Part 2, we will focus on requests, orders, and questions.

1. Requests/orders

• “Asked me to”  is used for requests.
• “Told me to” is stronger; it is used for orders/commands.
• The main verb stays in the infinitive: She asked me to make copies. He told me to go to the bank.

2. Yes/no questions

• “Asked if” and “wanted to know if” are equal.
• The main verb changes according to the rules for reported statements : “ Did you turn off the TV?” (past simple) She asked if I had turned off the TV (past perfect)
• We don’t use the auxiliary verbs “do/does/did” in the reported question.

3. Other questions

• “Asked”  and “wanted to know” are equal.
• We don’t use the auxiliary verb “do” or “does” in the reported question: “Where does he work?” She wanted to know where he works .
• In questions with the verb “to be,” the word order  changes in the reported question: “Where were you born?” (Question word + [to be] + subject) He asked where I was born (Question word + subject + [to be]) He asked where was I born

Reported Speech (Part 2) Quiz

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Reported commands and requests in English

1. reported commands.

• affirmative commands → to + infinitive
• negative commands → not + to + infinitive

1.1. Affirmative commands

• Direct Speech → Dad, “Do your homework.”
• Reported Speech → Dad told me to do my homework.

1.2. Negative commands

• Direct Speech → Teacher, “Do n't talk to your friend.”
• Reported Speech → The teacher told me not to talk to my friend.

1.3. The introductory sentence in commands

The word tell in introductory sentences in Reported Commands can be substituted with other words, e.g.

There is no backshift of tenses, no matter which tense is used in the introductory sentence.

Direct Speech

• Dad, “Do your homework.”
• Reported Speech
• Dad tells me to do my homework.
• Dad told me to do my homework.

2. Suggestions

• Father, “Let's watch a film.”
• Father suggested watching a film.
• Father suggested that they should watch a film

Do not use the infintive after suggest . Father suggested to watch a film.

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Reported speech commands and requests

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Make reported commands and requests.

"Sit down, please," she asked me. She asked me to sit down.

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Exercises, PDF worksheets and grammar rules.

Reported commands, requests and questions

Reported speech worksheets PDF

Reported commands and requests

We use verbs such as advise, ask, beg, forbid, order, persuade, recommend, tell, urge, warn etc. to introduce commands and requests in the reported speech.

In the direct speech we usually do not mention the person in the imperative. In the reported speech the person addressed must be mentioned.

"Stand up," the teacher said. - The teacher told the children to stand up. "Please, prepare for the exam," she said. - She urged me to prepare for the exam. "Take off your shoes," I said. - I advised him to take off his shoes. "Lie down on the floor," ordered the policeman. - The policeman ordered the robber to lie down on the floor.

Negative commands and requests

Negative commands and requests are made by verb + object + not + infinitive.

"Don't be late again," said Jane. - Jane urged me not be late again. "Don't hesitate," our teacher persuaded us. - Our teacher persuaded us not to hesitate. "Don't smoke," the doctor warned my father. - The doctor warned my father not to smoke.

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Reported Speech Requests Commands/Exclamations

Reported Requests/Commands

Indirect speech exclamations.

Reporting a question, command or request

In reporting a question, the indirect speech is introduced by verbs such as asked, inquired etc.

When the question is not introduced by an interrogative word, the reporting verb is followed by if or whether.

Direct speech: He said to me, ‘Where are you going?’ Indirect speech: He asked me where I was going . (NOT He asked me where was I going.)

Direct speech: The policeman said, ‘What are you doing?’ Indirect speech: The policeman asked what I was doing . (NOT The policeman asked what are you doing.)

Direct speech: ‘Where do you live?’ said the stranger. Indirect speech: The stranger asked where I lived .

Direct speech: He said, ‘Will you help me?’ Indirect: He asked me if I would help him.

Direct speech: ‘Do you think you know better than your father?’ jeered the angry mother. Indirect speech: His angry mother jeered and asked him whether he thought he knew better than his father.

Reporting commands and requests

When a command or request is reported, the indirect speech is introduced by a verb expressing command or request. We also change the imperative mood into the infinitive.

Direct speech: John said to Peter, ‘Go away.’ Indirect speech: John ordered Peter to go away.

Direct speech: He said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.’ Indirect speech: He requested me to wait there till he returned.

Direct speech: ‘Call the first witness,’ said the judge. Indirect speech: The judge ordered them to call the first witness.

Direct speech: He said, ‘Be quiet.’ Indirect speech: He urged them to be quiet.

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Reported speech

Reporting orders and requests

Reporting orders and requests.

When we want to report an order or request, we can use a verb like 'tell' with a to-clause:  He told me to go away.  The pattern is  verb + indirect object + to-clause . The indirect object is the person spoken to. Other verbs used in reporting orders and requests in this way are:  command, order, warn, ask, advise, invite, beg, teach, & forbid.

REQUESTS FOR OBJECTS

Requests for objects are reported using the pattern "asked for" + object.

SUGGESTIONS

Suggestions are most often reported using the verbs suggest, insist, recommend, demand, request, and propose followed by a that clause. 'That' and 'should' are optional in these clauses, as shown in the first two examples below. Note that suggest, recommend, and propose may also be followed by a gerund in order to eliminate the indirect object (the receiver of the suggestion) and thus make the suggestion more polite. This usage of the gerund is illustrated in the fourth and fifth examples below.

Course Curriculum

• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

Requests in Reported Speech

For pronouns and place / time expressions see statements in reported speech. Tenses are not relevant for requests – simply use ‚to‘  + infinite verb.

For negative requests, use ‚not to‘ + infinite verb.

Exercises on reported speech

Reported Speech Exercise: Requests And Commands

Reported speech exercises | reporting requests and commands.

Do the exercises below about the reported speech (requests and commands) and click on the button to check your answers.

(Before doing the exercise you may want to see the lesson on reported speech )

Transform these requests and commands into reported speech (start the sentence as suggested.)

• Can you lend me your book? → She asked me
• Please, help me with my homework → She begged her brother
• Could you spell your name, please? → She asked him
• Stand up. → The policeman ordered the criminal
• Don't be late. → She warned me
• Please, park your car away from the factory. → The security agent asked her
• Don't call me anymore. → She asked him
• Enjoy your stay in Paris → The hotel manager told her
• Please, keep quiet. → She asked the kids
• Don't leave me alone. → He told his mom
• Could you bring your laptops? → The teacher asked the students
• Be nice to your sister . → He urged his son
• You must not use the calculator.→ The maths teacher told the students
• Can you send invitations to all participants? → He asked his secretary
• You had better exercise regularly. → The doctor advised him
• Don't eat too much red meat. → The doctor advised him
• Stop making fool of me. → He asked her
• Open the window, please. → The duke ordered his butler
• Drop me at the hotel, please. → He asked the taxi driver
• Don't put the bag on the table. → She asked her daughter

Related materials

• Reported speech exercise (mixed)
• Reported speech exercise (questions)
• Reported speech exercise (requests and commands)
• Reported speech lesson

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Reported Speech Imperatives

Reported speech imperatives differ in structure to other reported speech sentences.

Imperatives are:

• Commands: Keep quiet!
• Requests: Please close the window
• Advice: Go and lie down
• Suggestions: Take the test next year instead

This is the structure that we use:

Structure: reporting verb (e.g. ask, tell)   + noun/pronoun +  to infinitive 

Example: She asked me   to come  later

Here are some further examples using the imperative sentences above, showing them in direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct Speech:

• She said, "Keep quiet!"
• "Please close the window", the teacher said
• He told her, "Go and lie down"
• She said, "Take the test next year instead"

Reported Speech:

• She instructed me to keep quiet
• The teacher asked me to close the window
• He told her to go and lie down
• She advised them to take the test next year instead

Reporting Verbs for Imperatives

In normal reported speech, the common reporting verbs are said and told . For instance:

• She said she was tired
• He told me I should come tomorrow

There are many more, however, that are used with reported speech imperatives. Some are for orders while others are for polite requests.

Polite Request

Here are some more examples of reported speech imperatives using these verbs:

Polite Requests

• My doctor  advised  me to sleep more
• The government  urged  the people to use less water
• She asked me to join her on holiday
• They  reminded  us to put our seat belts on
• He  requested  the guests to vacate their rooms
• He begs her to stay
• John told his brother to change direction
• My boss  orders  me to work harder
• She instructed them to learn the alphabet
• The general  commanded his  soldiers to obey
• The sign  forbade  them to enter

Suggest / demand / insist as Reported Verbs

Suggest  / demand / insist can be used as reported verb for imperatives; however, they do not follow the same pattern as above. That is because the structure for using them is as follows:

• Suggest  /  demand / insis t  + that + someone

So this is how reported speech with these verbs will look:

• Direct Speech: She said, "Study harder to pass your test"
• Reported Speech: She suggested that I study harder to pass my test
• Direct Speech:  He said, "Take a taxi home"
• Reported Speech:  He insisted that we take a taxi home

You can't say:

• She suggested me to study harder X
• He insisted us to take a taxi home X

Negative Imperatives in Reported Speech

When we want to make an imperative reported speech sentence negative, we simply add in not before the ' to infinitive ': 

Negative Imperatives in Reported Speech

Structure: reporting verb  + noun/pronoun + not +  to infinitive 

Example: She advised me   not  to come late

Here are some examples of direct speech changed into indirect speech using negative imperatives.

• She said, "Don't keep talking!"
• "Please don't study too hard", the teacher said
• He told her, "Don't wait up for me"
• The doctor said, "Don't over eat" 
• She instructed us not to keep keep talking
• The teacher asked them  not to study to hard
• He urged me not to wait up for him
• The doctor advised me not to over eat

More on Reported Speech:

Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses

Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.

Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech

This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.

Direct and Indirect Speech: The differences explained

Direct and indirect speech are different because in direct speech the exact words said are spoken, but in indirect or reported speech, we are reporting what was said, usually using the past tense.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.

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Reported Speech Exercise 3

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Reported Speech: Commands and Requests Practice Exercises

• Post last modified: 10 April 2022
• Post category: Grammar Exercises / School Grammar

Learn converting commands and request type Imperative sentences into Indirect Speech or narration. The solved exercises given below are here to do practice on these exercises. Attempt yourself first and then see the answers.

New exercises are added from time to time, so, keep coming here.

Narration: Commands and Requests

Q. change the following sentences into indirect speech..

• He said to his servant, “Leave the room at once”.
• He said to him, “Please wait here till I return.”
• Sara’s mother said to her, “Cook the food properly”.
• The teacher said to a student, “Don’t waste your time”.
• The police man shouted to the man, “Stop or I will shoot you”.
• My elder brother said to me, “Please post this letter for me”.
• I said to my brother, “Let us go to some hill station for a change”.
• The police officer said to a culprit, “Don’t try to be clever”.
• The judge said to the accused, “Hold your tongue”.
• He shouted, “Let me go.”
• She said, “Be quiet and listen to his words.”
• I said to my teacher, ” Pardon me sir”
• He ordered the servant to leave the room at once.
• He requested him to wait there till he returned.
• Sara’s mother ordered her to cook the food properly.
• The teacher ordered a student not to waste the time.
• The police man ordered the man to stop and threatened that otherwise he would shoot him.
• My elder brother requested me to post this letter for him.
• I suggested to my brother that we should go to some hill station for a change.
• The police officer ordered a culprit not to try to be clever.
• The judge ordered the accused to hold his tongue.
• He shouted to let him go.
• He urged them to be quiet and listen to his work.
• I respectfully begged my teacher to pardon me.

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Reported Speech: Orders, Requests, Advice

Requests for objects, other reporting verbs.

We can use reported speech to express orders, requests and advice.

An order is when somebody tells you to do something.

We can use ‘ tell ’ with infinitives to report orders:

• Jim’s mum: Wash your hands! Dinner’s ready!
• She told him to wash his hands.
• Jim’s mum: Don’t touch that pan – it’s hot!
• She told him not to touch the pan.

The structure here is:

tell + someone + (not) to do something

The most common verb for reporting an order is ‘ tell ‘, but we can also use other verbs such as:  order, command, instruct :

• The sergeant  commanded  his men to stand straight.
• The manager instructed his team to follow the guidelines.

Note that the structure here is the same as with the verb ‘tell’.

A request is when somebody asks you to do something – usually politely. We can use ‘ ask ’ with infinitives to report requests:

• Jim’s mum: Can you wash your hands? Dinner’s ready!
• She asked him to wash his hands.
• She asked him not to touch the pan.

ask + someone + (not) to do something

When we want that somebody gives us something, we can ‘ ask for ‘ it:

• Jim: Mum, can I have some bread?
• Jim asked her for some bread.
• Jim’s sister: Could I have a glass of water?
• Jim’s sister asked for a glass of water.

ask (someone) for + object

Let’s summarize these structures:

We can also use a lot of other verbs in reported speech. We can use the verbs ‘suggest’, ‘insist’, ‘recommend’, ‘demand’, ‘request ‘, and ‘ propose ‘ to report advice and suggestions . Some of them follow the same pattern:

• She ordered him to wash his hands.
• She advised him to wash his hands.
• She ordered him not to touch the pan.
• She advised him not to touch the pan.

For example, we can transform the following direct speech sentences into reported speech:

• Come on. Eat your vegetables. They’re good for you!
• She persuaded him to eat his vegetables.
• Remember to wash the dishes.
• She reminded him to wash the dishes.
• Don’t forget!
• She warned him not to forget .

Sometimes the pattern is different:

• OK, Mum. I’ll wash the dishes.
• He promised to wash the dishes.
• NOT: He promised her to wash the dishes.
• Why don’t you watch TV?
• He suggested (that) she should watch TV.
• He suggested (that) she watch TV.

‘That’ and ‘should’ are optional in these clauses.

Note that ‘ suggest ‘, ‘ recommend ‘, and ‘ propose ‘ may also be followed by a gerund .

You can also say:

• He suggested watching TV.
• NOT:  He suggested her to watch TV.
• NOT: He suggested to watch TV.

Because we use the infinitive, there is no need to worry about tense. But as with reported statements and reported questions , we may need to change  pronouns  as well as  time  and  place  in reported requests.

Consider the example:

• They said to the architect: “We’d like you to meet us here tomorrow .”
• They asked the architect to meet them there the next day .

Watch this small video explaining how reported speech is used for orders and requests:

Reported Speech: Overview

Reported Speech: Tenses

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• Reported requests
• 1. Amelia, “Can you carry the bag?” Amelia asked me . to carry the bag
• 2. William, “Could you explain to me the rule?” William asked me . to explain to him the rule
• 3. Olivia, “Can you teach me to drive?” Olivia asked me . to teach her to drive
• 4. Mila, “Can you stop yelling at me?” Mila asked me . to stop yelling at her
• 5. James, “Could you repeat?” James asked me . to repeat
• 6. Noah, “Can you show me the answer?” Noah asked me . to show him the answer
• 7. Chloe, “Could you pick me up at 7 am?” Chloe asked me . to pick her up at 7 am
• 8. Daniel, “Can you go with me?” Daniel asked me . to go with him
• 9. Jack, “Can you walk the dog?” Jack asked me . to walk the dog
• 10. Ivy, “Could you go with me?” Ivy asked me . to go with her
• Reported requests — Exercise 2
• Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 1
• Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 2
• Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 3
• Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 4

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Reported Speech – orders & requests

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The slow trickle of US aid and restrictive Biden administration policies have forced Ukraine onto the “back foot” in its fight against Russia — as the enemy forces continue their unrelenting push into Ukrainian territory near Kharkiv, the second-largest city in the country.

“Right now, the Russians have the initiative across the entire theater. They’re dictating the place, the time, the intensity and the tempo of military operations,” George Barros, the Institute for the Study of War’s Russia team lead told The Post.

“The Ukrainians are on the back foot and are forced to react.”

The Biden administration just announced it would send an additional $275 million in aid to replenish Ukraine’s supply of “urgently needed” weaponry, such as rockets and artillery rounds — but it could be too little, too late.

The latest package is the fifth tranche of aid for Kyiv since Congress approved a $60 billion supplemental package last month, however, as US lawmakers debate the bill, it choked off the flow of weapons to the region for months.

That delay has been costly, forcing Ukraine to cede additional territory while creating a crisis of morale for the country’s volunteer armed forces.

“This time last year there was no problem with Ukrainian manpower. There were volunteer drives where men were signing up in huge numbers. They were coming off successful counteroffensives in 2022 and received new equipment from the West in early 2023. Morale was high and things were hopeful for the future,” Barros said.

But things look very different today after a series of setbacks on the battlefield and the slow response by Congress to approve more aid.

“[Ukrainian forces] feel abandoned. Morale is low, they don’t feel supported. They know DC is constraining their ability to defend themselves,” Barros said.

“They’re not enthusiastic about going to fight because they understand there are materials shortages, so there’s no guarantee they’ll be equipped, armed, and trained properly.”

Even though Congress finally passed the supplemental package, American equipment has been slow to reach the front lines at scale, spreading Ukrainian forces thin as they make the most of already constrained resources.

Russia was well aware of both this delay, and likely timed their advance on Kharkiv to start on May 10 because it was after the aid package was passed but before equipment started to reach the front.

Barros said Russia pressed ahead with the operation even though they had only amassed half of their desired 60,000-100,000 troops, “because if they waited a couple more weeks then the Ukrainian situation would be more stable.”

Even when US arms and munitions shipments finally reach Ukraine in greater numbers, it is unlikely to be enough to enable the country to launch effective counteroffensives against Russia.

“The tactical situation will improve for the Ukrainians, but the operational situation I don’t think is going to improve barring significant policy changes,” Barros said, pointing to restrictive rules of engagement that prohibit Ukrainian forces from striking at Russian forces from within Russia.

“I remain hopeful that Washington undertakes a course correction.”

Fully aware of this limitation, Russia has positioned its weaponry and forces just across the border from Ukraine, bringing them close to within artillery range of Kharkiv without fear of being attacked.

“One way the US can blunt the Russian offensive and help the Ukrainians seize the initiative is to change the rules of engagement for America-provided weapons,” Barros said.

Olexsandra Ustinova, head of Ukraine’s paramilitary commission on arms and ammunition, recalled an instance where they spotted Russian forces “sitting one or two kilometers from the border inside Russia” but that “there was nothing we could do about it,” The Times reported .

Ever since US weapons began flowing into Ukraine, the country has been bound by an agreement that it would not fire them into Russian territory, a restriction put in place over the Biden administration’s fears the war could escalate into World War III.

Slowly but surely, cracks have started forming in the prohibitive policy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the New York Times this week that his country not being allowed to launch US-made artillery into Russia gave its military rival a “huge advantage.”

The second-guessing of the hamstringing policy has even reached the US State Department.

After a recent trip to Kyiv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has started pushing the administration to back off the policy, the Times reports.

However, the outlet said Blinken’s proposal was still “in the formative stages” and it was unclear whether Biden would be on board.

Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, who left the department in March, said in an interview on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday that striking offensive targets over the Russian border “ought to be fair game,” particularly after Russia escalated hostilities with its assault on Kharkiv.

“It’s important to get away from the current approach, going from famine to feast where we give the Ukrainians a whole bunch of equipment and appropriate a lot of money, but infrequently,” Barros said, noting that the last appropriation from Congress was in December, 2022.

“We give them enough to evade catastrophe once the situation becomes very dire, but it’s not enough. As long as we have policies that deliberately tie Ukrainians’ hands behind their back, as long as we send aid in a way that’s counterable by Russian command, we’re not going to allow the Ukrainians to be successful.”

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