Gyanrush
Start freeOpen Gyanrush
Start freeOpen Gyanrush
  1. LPU MCA Semester 1
  2. PEL546
  3. Unit 5

PEL546 · Unit 5: Reported speech

Reported requests and offers

10 practice questions · in the ETE syllabus

Practise this topicPractise this topic

Key points

  • Requests and commands: asked/told/ordered + person + to + verb
  • Negative: not to + verb
  • Offers and promises: offered/promised to + verb
  • Suggest takes -ing or a that clause

Requests, commands and offers are reported with a verb of intention followed by the to-infinitive, not with a that clause.

DirectReported
Please open the door.She asked me to open the door.
Do not be late.He told him not to be late.
Stop the car.He ordered the driver to stop the car.
Shall I carry your bag?He offered to carry my bag.
Would you like some tea?She offered him some tea.
I will help you.He promised to help me.
Don't eat oily food.The doctor warned him not to eat oily food.
Let us go to the beach.He suggested going to the beach.

Pattern: reporting verb + person + to + base verb (negative: not to + base verb). Offers and promises use offered/promised to + verb. Suggest takes an -ing form (suggested going) or a that clause, not to + verb. Polite requests such as Could you...? are reported as requests (asked her to...), not as yes/no questions, and pronouns and time words change as usual.

Exam trap: the negative is not to (told him not to be late), and suggest is never followed by to + verb.

Try two questions

Question 1 · Tier 3, Apply

Choose the correct reported form: He said, "I will help you tomorrow." (a promise)

  1. He promised helping me tomorrow.
  2. He promised me that he helps me the next day.
  3. He promised to help me the next day.
  4. He promised to help you tomorrow.
Show the answer

C. Promised to + verb reports a promise, with pronoun and time word changes.

Why not A: Promised is followed by to + verb or by that + would.

Why not B: A that clause after promised needs would, not helps.

Why not D: The pronoun you must change to me, and tomorrow must change.

Question 2 · Tier 2, Understand

Choose the correct reported form: He said, "Shall I carry your bag?"

  1. He offered that he carry my bag.
  2. He offered to carry my bag.
  3. He offered carrying my bag.
  4. He offered me carry my bag.
Show the answer

B. An offer such as Shall I...? is reported with offered to + verb.

Why not A: An offer is reported with offered to + base verb.

Why not C: Offered is followed by to + verb, not an ing form.

Why not D: Offered to takes no object between offered and to carry.