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:
| Reporting verbs used with the to-infinitive | ||
|---|---|---|
| ask beg command forbid instruct |
order remind request tell urge |
warn want |
