The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Reporting imperatives

REPORTING VERB + SOMEBODY + TO-INFINITIVE

When we report an imperative sentence or a request, we usually use a to-infinitive structure:

Mother:

Put away your toys, Johnny

.

Johnny's mother told him

to put away his toys

.

Teacher:

Everybody, please stand up.

The teacher asked the class

to stand up

.

Examiner:

Could you speak a bit louder?

The examiner asked me

to speak louder

.

Examples of reporting verbs used to report imperatives and requests:

ask, beg, command, forbid, instruct, order, remind, request, tell, urge, warn, want

Related topics:

SAY, TELL and ASK