Commands
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Claudia ReyCommands
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Claudia ReyWhen you explain what someone ordered or requested you to do, you report:
Direct: ‘You must give up smoking’, the doctor said to me.
Indirect: The doctor told me to give up smoking.
Also when you want to give orders to a third person, study this example:
The boss has seen Peter eating in the office and tells his secretary to remind him not to do that
because it is against the rules.
Direct: Do not eat in the office. It’s a rule. Tell Peter, please.
Direct speech: you use: ‘do not’ or ‘don’t’
Indirect: She told Peter not to eat in the office.
Indirect speech: Do not use ‘don’t’, use ‘not to’ instead.
BE CAREFUL: Use TELL or ASK for reported commands or requests, not SAY.
EXERCISE ONE Indirect commands. Follow the example.
Ex: ‘Do not cross the line’, he said. He told him not to cross the line.
1-Don’t eat fried food, the doctor said. He told me __________________________________________.
2-Tidy your bedroom, she said to us. She told _____________________________________________.
3-Don’t shout at me, he told me. He asked me _____________________________________________.
4-She’s often late for class. Ask her ______________________________________________________.
5-Close the door when you leave. Tell him ________________________________________________.
6-Don’t take her to the party, he said to me. He asked me ___________________________________.
7-Don’t use your mobile here, he said to her. He asked her ___________________________________.
8-Please, don’t tell Anna my secret. He asked me ___________________________________________.
9-Drive carefully, he said to her. He told her _______________________________________________.
10-Don’t touch the iron, my father said. He told me_________________________________________.
11-Don’t come back late, said my mother. She told me ______________________________________.
12-Wait for me at the café, he said to me. He asked me _____________________________________.
EXERCISE 2
Reported speech, questions or commands. Choose the correct option.
Yesterday I went to see Mary. I needed to talk/ask to her. She said she is/was very tired but I
told/ said her I really needed to ask/tell her a few questions. I wanted to know if she had been
to the party and when/whether she had seen my boyfriend Tom here/there or not. She
said/told she had seen Tom but she didn’t want to talk about it. I ask/asked her to tell me the
truth. Had he gone/been there with another girl? She acted as if she know/knew nothing
about it but she finally said/told me the truth. He had been there with a tall blonde girl. A very
pretty girl. Inmediately I went to see Tom.
I told/asked him I knew he’d been to the party with another girl. He started to laugh and I told
him don’t/not to laugh. The situation isn’t/wasn’t funny at all. I also asked/told him who
that girl is/was.
Then he told me the truth. That girl is/was her sister Mandy. She has/had been living in
Denmark for two years and she had come back home. I was so embarrased! I promised myself
don’t/not to be jealous again. It wasn’t fair to Tom. I will never forget this/that day.
KEY
EXERCISE ONE
1-not to eat fried food
2-us to tidy our bedroom
3-not to shout at him
4-not to be late for class
5-to close the door when he leaves
6-not to take her to the party
7-not to use her mobile there
8-not to tell Anna his secret
9-to drive carefully
10-not to touch the iron
11-not to come back late
12-to wait for him at the café
EXERCISE TWO
Yesterday I went to see Mary. I needed to talk to her. She said she was very tired but I
told her I really needed to ask her a few questions. I wanted to know if she had been to the
party and whether she had seen my boyfriend Tom there or not. She said she had seen
Tom but she didn’t want to talk about it. I asked her to tell me the truth. Had he been
there with another girl? She acted as if she knew nothing about it but she finally told me
the truth. He had been there with a tall blonde girl. A very pretty girl. Inmediately I went to
see Tom.
I told him I knew he’d been to the party with another girl. He started to laugh and I told him
not to laugh. The situation wasn’t funny at all. I also asked him who that girl was.
Then he told me the truth. That girl was her sister Mandy. She had been living in Denmark
for two years and she had come back home. I was so embarrased! I promised myself not to
be jealous again. It wasn’t fair to Tom. I will never forget that day.
