Noun Clauses – Commands: Changing Commands to Reported Speech

skip navigation

Commands

Changing Commands to Reported Speech

QUOTED COMMAND	REPORTED COMMAND
The doctor said, "Get some rest."	The doctor said to get some rest.
	The doctor said (that) I should get some rest.
	The doctor told me to get some rest.
The doctor said, "Don't smoke."	The doctor said not to smoke.
	The doctor said (that) I shouldn't smoke.
	The doctor told me not to smoke.
The doctor said, "Call me when you get here."	The doctor said to call him when I got there.

Sentence Transformation

Change to an Infinitive

CHANGES		INDEPENDENT CLAUSE	EMBEDDED COMMAND
1	Remove comma and quotes	The doctor said	"Get some rest."
2	Optionally, change said to told me	The doctor told me	Get some rest.
3	Change the verb to an infinitive ==> to + verb	The doctor told me	to get some rest
		The doctor said / told me	to get some rest.

Change to a Negative Infinitive

CHANGES		INDEPENDENT CLAUSE	EMBEDDED COMMAND
1	Remove comma and quotes	The doctor said	"Don't smoke."
2	If using "tell" add a pronoun ==> told me	The doctor told me	Don't smoke.
3	Change the negative verb to a negative infinitive ==> not to + verb	The doctor told me	not to smoke
		The doctor said / told me	not to smoke.

Change to "Should"

CHANGES		INDEPENDENT CLAUSE	EMBEDDED COMMAND
1	Remove comma and quotes	The doctor said,	"Get some rest."
2	Optionally, add a relative pronoun: that	The doctor said that	(you) get some rest
3	Add a pronoun: I, we or he, she, they Add modal: should	The doctor said that	I get some rest.
4	Change the verb: should + verb	The doctor said that	I should get some rest.
		The doctor said that	I should get some rest.

Change to "Should" with a Clause

CHANGES		INDEPENDENT CLAUSE	EMBEDDED COMMAND
1	Remove comma and quotes	The doctor said,	"Call me when you get here."
2	If using "tell" add a pronoun ==> told me	The doctor [ said] told me,	call me when you get here
3	Change the verb to infinitive form.	The doctor told me	to call me when you get here
4	Adjust the pronoun: me ==> him	The doctor told me	to call him when I get here
5	Adjust point of view in the when-clause: pronoun: you ==> I 2nd verb to time frame of 1st verb adverb: here to there	The doctor told me The doctor said	to call him when I got there.
	OR	The doctor said that	I should call him when I got there.

Common Mistake

ERROR	FIXES
Jack shouted, "Let's go!" (Let us go.) * Jack shouted to let's go.	Jack shouted at us to go. (less formal; less polite) Jack shouted for us to go. Jack shouted that we should go. (more formal)

Practice

Brothers Going to school

Brothers

Changing Quoted Commands to Statements

Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
1.	Jack shouted "Get your backpack and lunch!" Jack told his brother backpack and lunch!"
2.	Jack said "Don't make me late again." Jack told his brother late again."
3.	Jack said to his brother, "Hurry up!" Jack told his brother
4.	His brother said, "Leave me alone!" His brother told him
5.	"OK, then", Jack said, "Walk alone!" Jack told his brother .
6.	Jack's mother said, "Be kind to your brother." Jack's mother said that .
7.	Jack to his brother, "Please be ready on time every morning." Jack said that he on time every morning."
8.	Jack's brother said, "Warn me ten minutes before you leave." His brother told
9.	Jack said, "Set your alarm before you go to bed." Jack told
10.	Jack said, "Use two clocks if you need to. Jack said to him
11.	Jack's brother said, "Go ahead without me." Jack's brother told him
12.	"I will." Jack said, "Don't forget your head!" Jack told him
	Their mother closed the door gently after they both left.