Reported requests and orders
Report requests, orders and advice with ask/tell/advise + object + (not) to + verb, and learn other reporting verbs.
In this lesson you will
- Report requests and orders
- Report advice and warnings
- Use reporting verbs with the right pattern
Learn
Requests: ask + person + to + verb: “Please wait here.” → She asked me to wait there.
Orders: tell + person + (not) to + verb: “Don’t touch it!” → He told us not to touch it.
Other verbs: advise / remind / warn / invite / encourage + person + to: She advised me to rest. He reminded me to lock the door. They warned us not to swim.
suggest is different: suggest + -ing or suggest that…: He suggested going by train. (not suggested me to go). agree / offer / promise / refuse + to: She offered to help.
Examples
- My boss told me to finish the report by Friday.
- She asked me not to tell anyone.
- The doctor advised him to stop smoking.
- He suggested meeting at the café.
Vocabulary
advise
tell someone what you think they should do
remind
help someone remember
warn
tell someone about a danger
encourage
give someone confidence to do something
refuse
say you won’t do something
Practice
Complete the sentence.
Speaking
Report advice, requests and warnings you’ve received from a parent, teacher, doctor or boss. Use at least five different reporting verbs.
Writing
Write an email summarising instructions from a meeting (60–80 words): what the manager asked, told, reminded and advised the team to do.
Lesson quiz
She told me ___ worry.
Review
Key points
- ask/tell + person + (not) to + verb.
- advise, remind, warn, invite, encourage + person + to.
- suggest + -ing / that…
- offer, agree, promise, refuse + to.
What you learned
- ✓ I can report requests and orders.
- ✓ I can use many reporting verbs.
- ✓ I avoid ‘suggested me to’.
Grammar reference: Reported speech, Gerunds and infinitives