Reported Speech Commands Exercises

Commands and requests use a completely different structure in reported speech compared to statements. Instead of backshifting tenses, we use told/asked + person + to + infinitive. "Close the door" becomes "She told him to close the door." "Please help me" becomes "She asked me to help her." The imperative verb always becomes a to-infinitive in the reported version.

For negative commands, add not before "to": "Don't be late" becomes "She told him not to be late." The choice between told and asked depends on the tone of the original speech: told is for direct orders and instructions, while asked is for polite requests. Other useful reporting verbs include ordered (military or formal), warned (danger), advised (suggestion), reminded (memory), encouraged (motivation), and begged (desperate request). Each carries a different shade of meaning: "Don't touch that!" could be reported as "She warned him not to touch it" if there was danger involved.