Reported speech & Reporting verbs — O/L English

What must I remember about Reported speech & Reporting verbs?

• Reported commands and imperatives: Shift from imperative verb to 'to-infinitive' ('Read the instructions,' said the teacher -> The teacher told the students to read the instructions).
• Reported prohibitions and negative requests: Change 'Do not' to 'not to + base verb' ('Do not fold the pages,' she warned -> She warned us not to fold the pages).
• Reporting reporting verbs of instruction: tell, instruct, order, advise, urge, remind, warn, encourage.
• Reporting embedded questions with modal expressions: 'He asked how he could borrow the encyclopedia'.
• Literary and library terminology: anthology, fiction, non-fiction, synopsis, protagonist, index, bibliography.

Test yourself (1 minute)

1. The negative imperative reporting trap

   Writing 'He told us to not speak' or 'He told us do not speak' is grammatically unacceptable; write 'He told us NOT TO speak'.

2. Reporting verb object requirement

   'Tell' and 'instruct' require a direct object before the infinitive (write 'He told ME to read', NEVER 'He told to read').

3. Book review format (Paper 2 Test 14)

   State Book Title, Author, Genre, Plot Summary, Character Critique, and Personal Recommendation.

Practise Reported speech & Reporting verbs questions today

Source: NIE G.C.E. (O/L) English Language Syllabus (Grade 11, Unit 8)

What comes next?

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Where does Reported speech & Reporting verbs fit in the syllabus?

Grade 11 · Term 3