REPORTED SPEECH with INFINITIVE: 15 cases of reported clauses using to-V

Reported speech with infinitive – sentences reported with to V

Certain reporting verbs always take an infinitive verb form, used primarily in cases of indirect speech such as requests, commands, intentions, promises, and demands.

Let's explore these verbs and how to use the corresponding reported speech.

1. Reported structure ADVISE sb + TO V: advising someone to do something

For example:

“You’ve been quite ill and you need to recover. I really think you should take it easy for a few days,” the doctor said.→ The doctor advised the patient to take it easy for a few days because he’d been quite ill and he needed to recover.

2. Reported structure AGREE + TO V: agreeing to do something

For example:

An: “Let’s meet tomorrow”. Giang: “All right!”

=> An and Giang agreed to meet the next day.

3. Reported structure DECIDE + TO V: deciding to do something

For example:

“After giving the matter some serious thought, we have now reached a final decision. We are going to close down the naval base in two years’ time, said the Ministry of Defence. → The Ministry of Defence decided to close down the naval base in two years’ time after giving the matter some serious thought.

4. Reported structure ENCOURAGE sb + TO V: encouraging someone to do something

For example:

“Go ahead, you can tell me anything in your mind,” said the teacher to the student.→ The teacher encouraged the student to tell him anything in his mind.

5. Reported structure INVITE sb + TO V: inviting someone to do something

For example:

“You can stay with us for a few more days”, my girlfriend’s family said.→ My girlfriend’s family invited me to stay with them for a few more days.

6. Reported structure OFFER + TO V: making an offer to help

For example:

“I’ll help you write down what the teacher said if you like,” he said.→ He offered to help me write down what the teacher said.

7. Reported structure PROMISE + TO V: committing to do something

For example:

“I will call you every week”, he said.→ He promised to call me every week.

8. Reported structure REFUSE + TO V: declining to do something

For example:

“No, I’m not going to discuss it with you. I think it’s a waste of time,” he said.→ He refused to discuss it with me because he thought it was a waste of time.

9. Reported structure WARN sb (not) + TO V: advising someone (not) to do something

Ví dụ:

“You must not go near their house again or there will be trouble,” the police said to him.→ The police warned him not to go near their house again or there would be trouble.

10. Cấu trúc tường văn REMIND sb + TO V: gợi nhắc, nhắc nhớ ai thực hiện điều gì

Ví dụ:

“Remember that you have to do the grocery today,” he said to me.→ He reminded me to do the grocery that day.

11. Cấu trúc tường văn PERSUADE sb + TO V: thuyết phục ai thực hiện điều gì

Ví dụ:

“I don’t think you should tell that to your mom immediately. Give yourself more time to think about it,” he said. He persuaded me not to tell my mom immediately.

12. Cấu trúc tường thuật ASK sb + TO V: yêu cầu ai thực hiện việc gì

Ví dụ:

“Please give me some advice on this matter,” he said to the accountant.→ He asked the accountant to give him some advice on that matter.

13. Cấu trúc tường thuật COMMAND sb + TO V / ORDER sb + TO V: ra lệnh, yêu cầu ai làm việc gì

Ví dụ:

“Stop the car! You are exceeding the speed limit!” The police said to the man.→ The police commanded the man to stop the car for exceeding the speed limit.

14. Cấu trúc tường thuật URGE sb + TO V: thúc giục, khích lệ ai làm việc gì

Ví dụ minh họa:

“You need to quickly take further legal action,” the lawyer told the parents. → The lawyer urged the parents to take further legal action.

15. Cấu trúc tường thuật BEG sb + TO V: kêu gọi ai làm gì

Ví dụ minh họa:

“Please, please turn on the TV, I want to watch the cartoon.” An said to his mother.→ An begged his mom to turn on the TV because he wanted to watch the cartoon.

16. Cấu trúc tường thuật INSTRUCT sb + TO V: hướng dẫn ai làm gì một cách trang trọng

Ví dụ minh họa:

“You need to remove the vehicles from the site immediately, or else they’re causing an obstruction,” the police instructed people.→ The police instructed people to remove the vehicles from the site immediately as they were causing an obstruction.