The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Reporting verb + object + TO-infinitive

VERB + OBJECT + TO-INFINITIVE

Examples of reporting verbs used with an object and the to-infinitive:

ask, advise, allow, beg, command, encourage, forbid, instruct, invite, order, permit, persuade, prefer, recommend, remind, request, tell, urge, warn, want

Customs officer: Please empty your pockets, madam.

The officer

asked

the woman to empty her pockets.

Carlos: I think you should visit a specialist.

Carlos

advised

me to visit a specialist.

Professor: You mustn't use a dictionary while writing the test.

The professor did not

allow

us to use a dictionary while writing the test.

Chris: Please tell me what really happened.

Chris

begged

her to tell him what had happened.

Sergeant: Fire!

The sergeant

commanded

the firing squad to shoot.

Uncle Joe: Have you ever thought of starting scuba diving? I guess you'd love it.

My uncle Joe

encouraged

me to take up scuba diving.

Mother to Luke: You must not talk to Ellie again.

Luke's mother

forbade

him to talk to Ellie again.

Doctor to patient: You must exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

The doctor

instructed

the patient to exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

I: Why don't you come in for a coffee?

I

invited

him to come inside and have a cup of coffee.

Police to photographers at an accident scene: No pictures!

The police

ordered

the photographers not to take any pictures of the accident scene.

School regulation: Teachers are not to use corporal punishment in the classroom.

The rules

don't permit

teachers to beat students at this school.

Matt: Be a vegetarian; it's better for your health.

Victoria: But I like bacon!

Matt: You don't know what those pigs have been eating.

Victoria: Yuck! You're right. I've never thought about it that way. I won't eat meat any more.

Matt

persuaded

Victoria to become a vegetarian.

Health specialist: I think it would be better if people consumed much less fat and sugar.

The health specialist would

prefer

people not to consume so much fat and sugar.

Thesis consultant to student: You should read the Thesis Guide before you start your research.

The thesis consultant

recommended

the student to read the Thesis Guide before starting the research.

(the

to

-infinitive after

recommend

is less common in everyday contexts)

David: Don't forget to buy some milk.

David

reminded

me to buy some milk.

Sign: Do not take photographs, please

Visitors

are requested

not to take photographs.

Teacher to pupils: Open your books to page 10.

The teacher

told

the pupils to open their books to page 10.

Mother to child: Don't tease that dog! It will bite you!

The mother

warned

her child not to tease the dog.

Green activists: The nuclear plant must be shut down immediately.

Green activists

urged

the government to shut down the nuclear plant.

Boss to secretary: Will you rewrite this letter, please? There are far too many mistakes in it.

The boss

wanted

her secretary to rewrite the letter.

Related topics:

Verb + object + TO-infinitive