BUSINESS ENGLISH

RAJARATA UNIVERSITY oF SRI LANKA

FACULTY oF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
DEPARTMENT oF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
ELT 1262/ 12062
BUSINESS ENGLISH
LANGUAGE STRUCTURE
AMCK ABEYSEKARA

IMPERATIVES
Imperative sentences do not normally have an expressed subject. This is because the subject ‘you’ is
usually understood. As a result of this, imperative sentences begin with a verb in the simple present tense.
An imperative sentence expresses ideas such as advice, order, request, suggestion, instruction,
permission, allowance etc.
For examples:
You Open the door.
Please help me.
Do not smoke
The doctor said, “Get some rest”
The doctor said, “Don’t smoke”
The doctor said, “Call me immediately

REPORTED SPEECH (IMPERATIVES)

A reported imperative usually includes introductory verb in the main clause, and it is followed by the
content of the quote expressed as an infinitival clause or ing form pattern.
In order to change an imperative sentence into the indirect speech, we use a to-infinitive and an -ing form
pattern. When we report an imperative, we often make changes other words in the same way as for
reported statements except tense.
a) Changing of the person
b) Changing of expressions of time
c) Tense - 2
For Example:
He said to me, ‘Wait here till I return.’ (Request)- Imperative
He asked me to wait there till he return
He told me to wait there till he return

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 They said, 'It's not a good idea to write your passwords down.' – advise
They advised us not to write our passwords down.

The teacher said to the students, ‘Work hard.’

The teacher advised the students to work hard.

Nimesh said to me, ‘Please lend me your pen.’

Nimesh requested me to lend him my pen.

The doctor said to the patient, ‘Quit smoking.’

The doctor advised the patient to quit smoking.
The doctor warned

He said to me, ‘Post this letter.’

He ordered me to post that letter.

POSITIVE IMPERATIVE
Imperatives are used to tell people to do or not do certain things. Moreover, imperatives can be
phrased positively (to do things), or negatively (to not do things).
1) Report the imperative with suitable verbs. The reporting verb matches the function of the imperative.
‘Remember to post the letter’, he asked me
He reminded me to post the letter
Change “Said to” into any one of these words as suitable Introductory Verb such as:
Ordered, Commanded, Advised, Requested, etc.

2) When reporting imperatives, the verb of the direct speech is changed into the infinitive form: to bring,
to write.
3) Do not use the conjunction word THAT, if you have used TO.

I said to my brother, “Go away”

I commanded my brother to go away.
He said to his sister, “Tell the truth.”
He advised his sister to tell the truth.
He said to me, “please help me”
He requested me to help him.
Janesh said, “Let us enjoy ourselves for an hour first”
Janesh proposed that we should enjoy ourselves for an hour first.

NEGATIVE IMPERATIVE
1) When we report a negative imperative, we put not or never before the to- infinitive

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2) Report the imperative with suitable verbs. The reporting verb matches the function of the imperative.
Verb such as: Ordered, Commanded, Advised, Requested, etc.
3) If you use TO, the verb of the direct speech is changed into the infinitive form: to bring, to write, etc.
4) Do not use the conjunction word THAT, if you have used TO.
5) In the negative sentences, NOT is put before the Infinitive:
Doctor said to me, “Do not smoke”
Doctor advised me not to smoke.

Forbid
She said, “Don’t tell lies, Hasitha”
She forbade Hasitha to tell lies.
She advised Hasitha not to tell a lie

Note
Not to speak, not to walk or you can use suitable Introductory Verb such as: Forbade, but the
Reported Speech form is positive.

REPORTING VERBS
Reporting verbs Often in reported speech, we use some reporting verbs that express the speaker's tone and style.
Most reporting verbs are formed using the infinitive, gerund. Some reporting verbs are formed in more than one
way.

REPORTING VERB + INFINITIVE

Verbs that require infinitives
agree, promise, invite, forbid, request, order, persuade, remind, threaten, instruct, offer, refuse, urge
advise, challenge, claim, decide, demand, and encourage can follow an infinitive pattern.
Reporting verb + infinitive
Reporting Direct speech Reported speech
verb
Agree He said 'All right. I'll lend He agreed to lend me his camera.
Demand She said, 'I want to see the manager!' She demanded to see the manager.
Offer He said, 'I'll help you.' He offered to help me.
Promise She said, 'I'll be back soon.' She promised to be back soon.
Refuse He said, 'No, I won't tell you my secret.' He refused to tell me his secret.
Threaten She said, 'I'll tell Mum if you don't stop.' She threatened to tell Mum if I didn't stop.
Decide He said, ‘I'll have the mix fruit juice, He decided to have the mix fruit juice.
please.'
Request The old woman said to the boy, ‘Please The old woman requested the boy to
help me’ help her.
Advise I said to him, ‘Love and obey your I advised him to love and obey his
parents.’ parents.

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 Order The officer said to the clerk, ‘Do it The officer ordered the clerk to do it
immediately.’ immediately.
Forbid I said to the children, ‘Do not make a I forbade the children to make a noise.
noise.’ (NOT I forbade the children not to make
a noise.)
Warn I said to the child, ‘Do not look down into I warned the child not to look down into
the well.’ the well.

REPORTING VERB + ‘ING’ FORM

verbs that require the gerund (-ing)
Deny, mention, report, insist on, apologize for, accuse someone of, admit, complain
about, and suggest can follow an -ing form pattern.
reporting verb + -ing

Reporting verb Direct speech Reported speech

Admit He said, `Yes, I stole the necklace.' He admitted stealing the necklace.
Deny She said, 'No, I didn't read your diary.' She denied reading my diary.
Apologize for 'I'm really sorry I didn't get back to He apologised for not getting back to me
you sooner.' sooner.
Suggest 'Let's take a break.' She suggested taking a break.

SUMMARY
1) Most common reporting verbs
Said, told are the most common verbs used in indirect speech.

2) Reporting verbs - questions

For example: I asked Lochana what time the lesson started.

3) We use told with an object.

For example: Anusha told me she felt tired.
Here me is the object.

4) We usually use said without an object.

For example: Dharshi said she was going to teach online.

5) If said is used with an object we must include ‘to’

For example: Tharaka said to me that she had never been to China.
We usually use told.
For example: Tharaka told me (that) she had never been to China.

6) There are many other verbs we can use apart from said, told and asked.
accused, admitted, advised, agreed, apologised, begged, complained, denied, explained, implied, invited,
offered, ordered, promised, replied, suggested and thought.
For example:

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 He asked me to come to the party
He invited me to come the party
He begged me to come to the party.
He ordered me to come to the party
He advised me to come to the party.

EXERCISE REPORTED SPEECH (REQUESTS & COMMANDS)

A. Report the requests or commands using asked or told

1) 'Please come to dinner at 8.00.

________________________________________________________________________
2) 'Send the letter immediately.'
________________________________________________________________________
3) 'Please don't mention the plans to anyone.'
________________________________________________________________________
4) 'Please return the form as soon as possible.'
________________________________________________________________________
5) 'Don't put any calls through to my office.'
________________________________________________________________________

EXERCISE REPORTED SPEECH (REQUESTS)

B. Change the Direct Speech into Reported Speech

1) “Please help me carry this”

She asked me ______________________________________________________
2) “Please come early”
She ______________________________________________________________
3) “Please buy some milk”
She ______________________________________________________________
4) “Could you please open the window?”
She ______________________________________________________________
5) “Could you bring the book tonight?”
She ______________________________________________________________
6) “Can you help me with my homework, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
7) “Would you bring me a cup of coffee, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
8) “Would you mind passing the salt?”
She ______________________________________________________________
9) “Would you mind lending me a pencil?”
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 She ______________________________________________________________
10) “I was wondering if you could possibly tell me the time?”
She ______________________________________________________________

EXERCISE REPORTED SPEECH (COMMANDS)

C. Change the Direct Speech into Reported Speech

1) “Do your homework!”

She told me ________________________________________________________
2) “Go to bed!”
She ______________________________________________________________
3) “Don’t be late!”
She ______________________________________________________________
4) “Don’t smoke!”
She ______________________________________________________________
5) “Tidy your room!”
She ______________________________________________________________
6) “Wait here!”
She ______________________________________________________________
7) “Don’t do that!”
She ______________________________________________________________
8) “Eat your dinner!”
She ______________________________________________________________
9) “Don’t make a mess!”
She ______________________________________________________________
10) “Do the washing-up!”
She ______________________________________________________________

D. Write reported commands and requests.

1) ‘Don’t look out of the window all the time!’, the teacher told us.
__________________________________________________________________
2) ‘Please help me with these heavy bags,’ Michelle asked.
__________________________________________________________________
3) ‘Don’t be such a baby, Jenny!’ my older brother said.
__________________________________________________________________
4) ‘Please don’t tell anyone about my problem,’ he asked.
__________________________________________________________________
5) ‘Bring the football with you, Jimmy,’ Sally said.
__________________________________________________________________
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 6) ‘Please learn all the irregular verbs,’ the teacher asked us.
__________________________________________________________________

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