REPORTED SPEECH — COMMANDS EXERCISE 1 (ESL)
B1–B2 · IntermediateReporting commands and requests in English uses a different structure from reporting statements — instead of shifting tenses, you use an infinitive pattern with the person addressed. Getting this right requires knowing which reporting verb to use and how the structure changes.
Need a refresher? Review the grammar ↓
Report each command or request using the correct reported speech structure.
My mother: 'Eat your vegetables!' → My mother told me to eat my vegetables.
Grammar review
Reported commands and requests — tell/ask + to-infinitive
Reporting commands and requests follows different rules from reporting statements. Instead of tense backshift, we use a specific verb pattern.
Reporting commands:
told + object + to + base verb
Direct: “Close the window.”
Reported: She told him to close the window.
Reporting requests (more polite):
asked + object + to + base verb
Direct: “Please help me.”
Reported: She asked him to help her.
Negative commands:
told + object + not to + base verb
Direct: “Don’t touch that!”
Reported: He told her not to touch it.
Key differences from reported statements:
• No tense backshift — the structure changes entirely
• Tell is used for commands; ask for requests and questions
• The infinitive with to replaces the imperative verb
• The word order is: reporting verb + person + (not) + to + verb
Reporting commands and requests follows different rules from reporting statements. Instead of tense backshift, we use a specific verb pattern.
Reporting commands:
told + object + to + base verb
Direct: “Close the window.”
Reported: She told him to close the window.
Reporting requests (more polite):
asked + object + to + base verb
Direct: “Please help me.”
Reported: She asked him to help her.
Negative commands:
told + object + not to + base verb
Direct: “Don’t touch that!”
Reported: He told her not to touch it.
Key differences from reported statements:
• No tense backshift — the structure changes entirely
• Tell is used for commands; ask for requests and questions
• The infinitive with to replaces the imperative verb
• The word order is: reporting verb + person + (not) + to + verb
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
Reported commands use infinitives rather than tense shifts — these exercises cover all the reported speech variations.
More reported speech exercises:
Reported speech (mixed) 1 (B1/B2)
Reported speech (mixed) 2 (B1/B2)
Reported speech (mixed) 3 (B1/B2)
Reported speech (simple past) 1 (B1/B2)
Related tense exercises:
Simple past or present perfect? 1 (B1/B2)
Simple past or present perfect? 2 (B1/B2)
Simple past or present perfect? 3 (B1/B2)
Simple past 1 (A2/B1)
Simple past 2 (A1/A2)
Simple past 3 (A2/B1)
Simple past 4 (A1/A2)
Simple past 5 (A1/A2)
Mixed verb tenses 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed verb tenses 2 (B1/B2)
Mixed verb tenses 3 (B1/B2)
Browse all grammar exercises →
Reported commands use infinitives rather than tense shifts — these exercises cover all the reported speech variations.
More reported speech exercises:
Reported speech (mixed) 1 (B1/B2)
Reported speech (mixed) 2 (B1/B2)
Reported speech (mixed) 3 (B1/B2)
Reported speech (simple past) 1 (B1/B2)
Related tense exercises:
Simple past or present perfect? 1 (B1/B2)
Simple past or present perfect? 2 (B1/B2)
Simple past or present perfect? 3 (B1/B2)
Simple past 1 (A2/B1)
Simple past 2 (A1/A2)
Simple past 3 (A2/B1)
Simple past 4 (A1/A2)
Simple past 5 (A1/A2)
Mixed verb tenses 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed verb tenses 2 (B1/B2)
Mixed verb tenses 3 (B1/B2)
Browse all grammar exercises →
