Explain the concept of reported commands and requests.

Reported commands and requests, also known as indirect speech, refer to the act of reporting or relaying someone else's commands or requests in a different form. When we report commands and requests, we usually change the tense, pronouns, and other elements to match the reporting context. The purpose of using reported commands and requests is to convey information about what someone said without directly quoting their exact words.

To convert a direct command or request into reported speech, we follow certain rules. Firstly, we need to introduce the reported speech with an appropriate reporting verb such as 'ask', 'tell', 'order', 'command', 'suggest', or 'request'. For example, if someone says, "Close the door," we can report it as "He told me to close the door."

When reporting commands, we usually change the imperative form of the verb into an infinitive form. For instance, if someone says, "Please, help me with my homework," we can report it as "She asked me to help her with her homework."

In reported requests, we often use the verb 'ask' or 'request' followed by an object and the infinitive form of the verb. For example, if someone says, "Can you pass me the salt?" we can report it as "He requested me to pass him the salt."

It is important to note that when reporting commands and requests, we may need to make additional changes to pronouns, time expressions, and modal verbs. For instance, if someone says, "I will do my best," we can report it as "He said he would do his best."

Moreover, if the reported speech is in the present tense, we may need to change it to the past tense to match the reporting context. For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," we can report it as "She said she was going to the store."

In conclusion, reported commands and requests involve relaying someone else's commands or requests in a different form. By using appropriate reporting verbs, changing verb forms, and adjusting pronouns and time expressions, we can accurately convey the intended meaning of the original command or request in reported speech.