REPORTED SPEECH : ORDERS AND COMMANDS

REPORTED SPEECH : ORDERS AND COMMANDS

1. Orders and commands are normally reported by “tell /

order / ask + object pronoun + infinitive”:

“Go to bed immediately!” The father said.

The father told / ordered the child to go to bed immediately.

“Switch that mobile phone off!” The teacher said.

The teacher told / ordered the student to switch the mobile

phone off.

“Be on time for the meeting!” The boss said.

The boss told / ordered me to be on time for the meeting.

“Sit down!” The secretary said.

She told / ordered me to sit down.

She said, “Go away.”

She told / ordered me ( him / her / us / them ) to go away.

"Stay in bed if you want to recover quickly,” my mother said

to me.

My mother told /ordered / commanded me to stay in bed if I

wanted to recover quickly .

“Study regularly if you want to pass the exam,” the teacher said.

The teacher told / urged us to study if we wanted to pass the

exam.

2. When the commands / orders are negative, “not” is introduced

before “to” of the infinitive:

“Don’t worry! Be happy!” He said.

He told / ordered her not to worry but to be happy.

“Don’t smoke here!” The nurse said.

He told / ordered us not to smoke there.

“Don’t read it,” She said.

She told /ordered me not to read it.

“Don’t touch me, “She said.

She told /asked / ordered me not to touch her.

“Don't talk to your neighbour,” the teacher said.

3. Military orders and commands are reported in most cases by:

a. “command + object + infinitive”

b. “command + that + subject + should + verb + …”

c. “command + that + subject + verb (subjunctive) + …”

“Fire,” shouted the officer.

The officer commanded his men to fire.

The officer commanded that his men should fire.

The officer commanded that his men fire.

He commanded his troops to attack.

“Stop the car,” said the police.

The police commanded the driver to stop the car.

The police commanded that the driver should stop the car.

The police commanded that the driver stop the car.