English Grammar: Reported Speech (3) – Imperatives

Convert the phrases below into reported speech.

1) "Please buy milk for breakfast,” he ordered.

He ordered _______________________________________

2) “Please start with your homework,” her mother shouted at her daughter.

Her mother shouted ______________________________________

3) “Don't eat this food” he warned him.

______________________________________________

Answers:

1) "Please buy milk for breakfast,” he ordered.

He ordered to buy milk for breakfast.

2) “Please start with your homework,” her mother shouted at her daughter.

Her mother shouted at her daughter to start with her homework.

3) “Don't eat this food” he warned him.

He warned him not to eat that food.

Explanation:

If the order is affirmative, we place "to" before the verb (infinitive)

Si la orden es afirmativa, ponemos "to" delante del verbo (infinitivo)

"Stop playing this piano!," he shouted.

He shouted to stop playing that piano.

If the order is negative, we place "not to" before the verb (infinitive)

Si la orden es negativa, colocamos "not to" antes del verbo (infinitivo)

"Don't do that!", she ordered.

She ordered not to do that.

Extra information: Imperatives

We can use the imperative form to:

Podemos usar los imperativos para:

Give a direct order: "Eat all this food"

Dar una orden directa.

Give instructions: "Add sugar to the cake"

Dar instrucciones.

Make an invitation: "Please, feel comfortable"

Hacer una invitación.

Make a suggestion: "Be careful"

Hacer una sugerencia.

Affirmative:

Infinitive without "to" +.... : "Open the window, please" ; "Be quiet"

Infinitivo sin "to"

Negative:

Do not / Don't + Infinitive without "to" +... : "Don't push this door" ; "Don't listen to her"

Do not / Don't + infinitivo sin "to"