Att återge beordningar och förfrågningar
När vi vill återge en beordning eller en förfrågning, kan vi använda verb som 'tell' tillsammans med en sats som inleds med to: He told me to go away. Mönstret är verb + indirekt objekt + sats som inleds med to. Det indirekta objektet är den person till vilken man talar. Andra verb som används för att återge beordningar och förfrågningar på det här sättet är: command, order, warn, ask, advise, invite, beg, teach, och forbid.
Exempel
| Direkt tal | Indirekt tal |
|---|---|
| The doctor said to me, "Stop smoking!". | The doctor told me to stop smoking. |
| "Get out of the car!" said the policeman. | The policeman ordered him to get out of the car. |
| "Could you please be quiet," she said. | She asked me to be quiet. |
| The man with the gun said to us, "Don't move!" | The man with the gun warned us not to move. |
Förfrågningar om objekt
Förfrågningar om objekt kan återges genom att man använder "asked for" + objekt.
Exempel
| Direkt tal | Indirekt tal |
|---|---|
| "Can I have an apple?", she asked. | She asked for an apple. |
| "Can I have the newspaper, please?" | He asked for the newspaper. |
| "May I have a glass of water?" he said. | He asked for a glass of water. |
| "Sugar, please." | She asked for the sugar. |
| "Could I have three kilos of onions?" | He asked for three kilos of onions. |
Förslag
Förslag åteges oftast genom att man använder verben suggest, insist, recommend, demand, request, och propose följt av en sats som inleds med "that". "That" och "should" kan uteslutas i denna sats, som visas i de två första exemplen nedan. Notera att suggest, recommend, and propose även kan följas av gerundium för att utesluta det indirekta objektet (den som mottar förslaget) och på detta vis göra förslaget mer artigt. Denna användning av gerundium visas i det fjärde och femte exemplet nedan.
Exempel
| Direkt tal | Indirekt tal |
|---|---|
| She said, "Why don't you get a mechanic to look at the car?" |
She suggested that I should get a mechanic to look at the car. OR She suggested I should get a mechanic to look at the car. OR She suggested that I get a mechanic to look at the car.OR She suggested I get a mechanic to look at the car. |
| "Why don't you go to the doctor?" he said. |
He suggested I go to the doctor. OR He suggested that I go to the doctor. OR He suggested I should go to the doctor.OR He suggested that I should go to the doctor. |
| "It would be a good idea to see the dentist", said my mother. | My mother suggested I see the dentist. |
| The dentist said, "I think you should use a different toothbrush". | The dentist recommended using a different toothbrush. |
| You said, "I don't think you have time to see the dentist this week." | You suggested postponing my visit to the dentist. |
| I said, "I don't think you should see the dentist this week." | I suggested postponing your visit to the dentist. |
| My manager said, "I think we should examine the budget carefully at this meeting." | My manager proposed that we examine the budget carefully at the meeting. |
| "Why don't you sleep overnight at my house?" she said. | She suggested that I sleep overnight at her house. |