Imagine this: Your favourite celebrity says, "Follow me on social media!" Or maybe your best friend asks, "Can you get tickets for the concert?" How would you share these moments with someone else later? This is where reported commands and requests come in!
We use 'told' + object + (not) to infinitive to share commands.
For example:
For example:
Direct: The actor said, "Follow me on social media."
Reported: The actor told us to follow them on social media.
What about negative commands?
Direct: The coach said, "Don't skip practice tomorrow."
Reported: The coach told us not to skip practice tomorrow.
Try it yourself! How would you report these commands?
"Subscribe to my channel."
"Don't delete the group chat."
When someone politely asks for something, we use 'asked' + object + (not) to infinitive to report it.
For example:
For example:
Direct: My favourite gamer said, "Can you share this stream with your friends?"
Reported: My favorite gamer asked me to share the stream with my friends.
What about negative requests?
Direct: She said, "Please don’t spoil the film for anyone."
Reported: She asked me not to spoil the film for anyone.
Your turn! Report these requests:
"Could you send me the link to the video?"
"Please don't reveal the plot twist!"
Why does this matter?
Learning to report commands and requests helps us share what others say without using their exact words. It's an important part of storytelling, especially when talking about celebrities, friends, or exciting events!
We use reported speech to tell someone what another person says or said. We usually use 'told' + object + (not) to infinitive to report commands, and 'asked' + object + (not) to infinitive to report requests.
