Reported Speech Questions Long
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of reporting or paraphrasing someone's words or statements. It is used to convey what someone said without using their exact words. When it comes to reported commands and requests, the concept of reported speech remains the same, but there are certain changes in the structure and verb forms.
Reported commands and requests are used when we want to report an order, instruction, or a request made by someone else. In reported speech, the reporting verb is usually changed to a verb that indicates a command or request, such as 'ask', 'tell', 'order', 'advise', 'suggest', etc. The tense of the reporting verb is also changed according to the context.
To convert a direct command or request into reported speech, there are a few changes that need to be made:
1. Reporting verb: The reporting verb is changed to a verb that indicates a command or request. For example, 'tell' or 'order' can be used for commands, while 'ask' or 'request' can be used for requests.
2. Reporting verb tense: The tense of the reporting verb is changed according to the context. If the reported command or request is still valid or relevant at the time of reporting, the reporting verb remains in the present tense. If the reported command or request is no longer valid or relevant, the reporting verb is changed to the past tense.
3. Reporting clause: The reporting clause is used to introduce the reported speech and to indicate who made the command or request. It usually includes the reporting verb, the person who made the command or request, and the word 'to' before the reported command or request. For example, "He told me to clean my room."
4. Pronoun and verb changes: In reported speech, pronouns and verb forms may need to be changed to reflect the shift from direct to indirect speech. The pronouns may change according to the subject of the reported command or request. The verb forms may change from imperative to infinitive or from present tense to past tense.
For example, let's consider a direct command: "John said, 'Close the door.'"
In reported speech, this command can be reported as: "John told me to close the door."
Here, the reporting verb 'said' is changed to 'told' to indicate a command. The pronoun 'you' is changed to 'me' to reflect the shift in perspective. The verb 'close' changes from imperative to infinitive form.
In summary, reported speech in reported commands and requests involves changing the reporting verb, tense, pronouns, and verb forms to accurately convey someone's command or request without using their exact words. It allows us to report what someone said in a more indirect and paraphrased manner.