Reported commands and
requests
1. Reported Commands
There is no backshift of tenses with commands/requests in Reported
Speech.
You only have to change the person and shift expressions of time/place
descibed on our page Reported Speech – Summary.
Form
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: “Don'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.
advise
ask
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
Direct Speech
Father: “Let's watch a film.”
Reported Speech
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.
How to use Reported Speech
If you have a sentence in Direct Speech, try to follow our 5 steps to put the
sentence into Reported Speech..
1. Define the type of the sentence (statement, questions, command)
2. What tense is used in the introductory sentence?
3. Do you have to change the person (pronoun)?
4. Do you have to backshift the tenses?
5. Do you have to change expressions of time and place?
1. Statements, Questions, Commands
Mind the type of sentences when you use Reported Speech. There is more
detailed information on the following pages.
Statements
Questions
Commands, Requests
2. The introductory sentence
If you use Reported Speech there are mostly two main differences.
The introductory sentence in Reported Speech can be in the Present or
in the Past.
If the introductory sentences is in the Simple Present, there is no backshift of
tenses.
Direct Speech:
Susan: “Mary works in an office.”
Reported Speech:
Introductory sentence in the Simple Present →
Susan says (that)* Mary works in an office.
Introductory sentence in the Simple Past →
Susan said (that)* Mary worked in an office.
3. Change of persons/pronouns
If there is a pronoun in Direct Speech, it has possibly to be changed in
Reported Speech, depending on the siutation.
Direct Speech → Susan: “I work in an office.”
Reported Speech → Susan said (that)* she worked in an office.
Here I is changed to she.
4. Backshift of tenses
If there is backshift of tenses in Reported Speech, the tenses are shifted the
following way.
Direct Speech → Peter: “I work in the garden.”
Reported Speech → Peter said (that)* he worked in the garden.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple forms
Simple Present Simple Past
Simple Past
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Past Perfect
will would
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Progressive forms
am/are/is was/were
was/were
has been had been
had been
5. Conversion of expressions of time and place
If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it may be changed,
depending on the situation.
Direct Speech → Peter: “I worked in the garden yesterday.”
Reported Speech → Peter said (that) he had worked in the garden the day
before.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
this evening that evening
today/this day that day
these days those days
now then
a week ago a week before
last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend
next week the following week
tomorrow the next/following day
here there
6. Additional information
In some cases backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are
still true. Backshift of tenses is never wrong.
John: “My brother is at Leipzig university.”
John said (that) his brother was at Leipzig university. or
John said (that) his brother is at Leipzig university.
or
when you use general statements.
Mandy: “The sun rises in the east.”
Mandy said (that) the sun rose in the east. or
Mandy said (that) the sun rises in the east.
* The word that is optional, that is the reason why we put it in brackets.
Q. Change the following sentences into Indirect
Speech.
1. He said to his servant, “Leave the room at once”.
2. He said to him, “Please wait here till I return.”
3. Sara’s mother said to her, “Cook the food properly”.
4. The teacher said to a student, “Don’t waste your time”.
5. The police man shouted to the man, “Stop or I will shoot you”.
6. My elder brother said to me, “Please post this letter for me”.
7. I said to my brother, “Let us go to some hill station for a
change”.
8. The police officer said to a culprit, “Don’t try to be clever”.
9. The judge said to the accused, “Hold your tongue”.
10. He shouted, “Let me go.”
11. She said, “Be quiet and listen to his words.”
12. I said to my teacher, ” Pardon me sir”
ANSWERS:
1. He ordered the servant to leave the room at once.
2. He requested him to wait there till he returned.
3. Sara’s mother ordered her to cook the food properly.
4. The teacher ordered a student not to waste the time.
5. The police man ordered the man to stop and threatened that
otherwise he would shoot him.
6. My elder brother requested me to post this letter for him.
7. I suggested to my brother that we should go to some hill
station for a change.
8. The police officer ordered a culprit not to try to be clever.
9. The judge ordered the accused to hold his tongue.
10. He shouted to let him go.
11. He urged them to be quiet and listen to his work.
