Direct speech Vs. Indirect speech (Imperative sentences)

Direct speech Vs. Indirect speech

Imperative sentences:

Imperative Sentence (Order or Request)
Rules :

·         Remove the quotation mark in an Imperative sentence.

·         Use ‘to’ if it is an affirmative sentence. (without don‘t)

·         Use ‘not to’ if the sentence begins without Don‘t.

·         Don‘t use ‘that’

·         Omit the word ‘please’. Use the word ‘request’ instead of ‘say’.

·         If the direct speech contains a request or a command, the reporting verb (say, said) change to tell, request, order, command etc. In its correct tense.

1.     “Don‘t talk in the class” said the teacher to the boys. (D.S.)
The teacher advised the boys not to talk in the class. (I.S.)

2.“Please give me something to eat. I am hungry” the old man said to them. (D.S.)
The old man requested them to give him something to eat and said that he was hungry (I.S.)

3. “Be careful” said he to her. (D.S.)
He ordered her to be careful. (I.S.)

4. “Bring me a cup of tea” said Nelson to Andriya. (D.S.)
Nelson asked Andriya to bring him a cup of tea. (I.S.)

In reporting an imperative sentence, the reporting verb say or tell is changed into a verb expressing a command, advice or request.

Command	command, order, bid, tell
Proposal	propose, suggest
Prohibition	forbid
Entreaty	entreat, pray, beg

Direct Speech	The Captain said, “Get ready to board the ship.”
Indirect Speech	The Captain commanded his sailors to get ready to board the ship.
Direct Speech	Teacher said to Jems, “Get out”
Indirect Speech	Teacher told Jems to get out.
Direct Speech	The Judge said to the culprit, “Tell me the truth.”
Indirect Speech	The Judge ordered the culprit to tell the truth.
Direct Speech	Headmaster said to the students, “Don’t copy in the examination”.
Indirect Speech	Headmaster asked the students not to copy in the examination.

(a)  The imperative mood is changed into the infinitive.

(b) ‘that’ is commonly not used. If it is used then instead of ‘to’, ‘should’ is placed before the imperative.

(c)  The rules for the change of pronouns must be observed.

Direct : She said to me, “Please give me your book.”

Indirect : She requested me to give her my book.

Direct : John said to his servant, “Go out at once.”

Indirect : John ordered his servant to go out at once

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Requests:

Please - requested + whom + to + v

Direct Speech	The teacher said, “Please improve your knowledge.”
Indirect Speech	The teacher requested the student to improve his knowledge.
Direct Speech	Robert said to me, “Please post these letters”.
Indirect Speech	Robert requested me to post those letters.
Direct Speech	Mother said, “Please keep your room neat.”
Indirect Speech	Mother requested me to keep my room neat.

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5. 

When ‘let’ in the direct speech expresses a proposal or a suggestion, we may use ‘should’ and change the reporting verb to propose or suggest.

Direct : He said to me, “Let us have some tea.”

Indirect : He proposed (or suggested) to me that we should have some tea.

When ‘let’ does not express a proposal, it should be changed into might or might be allowed, or into some other verb, according to the sense.

Direct : He said, “Let me have some water.”

Indirect : He wished that he might have some water.