Positive Requests

Direct Request	Reported Request
“Open the window.”	He asked me to open the window.
“Please sit down.”	She asked us to sit down.
“Wait here, please.”	They asked me to wait there.
“Call me tomorrow.”	He asked her to call him the next day.
“Help me with this.”	My friend asked me to help him with that.

Negative Requests

Direct Request	Reported Request
“Don’t be late.”	She asked him not to be late.
“Please don’t tell anyone.”	He asked me not to tell anyone.
“Don’t forget to lock the door.”	Mom asked me not to forget to lock the door.
“Don’t touch that.”	The teacher asked us not to touch that.

Using Different Reporting Verbs

Direct Request	Reported Request (alternative verb)
“Help me, please!”	He begged me to help him.
“Finish the report by 5 PM.”	The manager ordered us to finish the report by 5 PM.
“Be careful.”	She told me to be careful.
“Don’t move!”	The guard commanded us not to move.
“Please consider my application.”	She requested that they consider her application (formal).

Note: Request can be followed by that + subjunctive in very formal English: She requested that they consider… But the ask + to form is far more common.

Indirect Requests (Polite Questions)

When the direct request is phrased as a question:

Direct Question (polite request)	Reported Request
“Could you open the door?”	He asked me to open the door.
“Would you mind waiting a moment?”	She asked us to wait a moment.
“Can you help me?”	He asked me to help him.
“Will you please be quiet?”	The teacher asked us to be quiet.

Mixed Examples with Time/Pronoun Changes

Direct Request	Reported Request
“Call me tomorrow.”	He asked me to call him the next day.
“Bring this here.”	She asked me to bring that there.
“Do it now.”	They asked me to do it then.
“Tell your brother I said hello.”	He asked me to tell my brother he said hello.

Summary Table of Transformations

Element	Direct	Reported
Verb form	“Open…”	to open
Negative	“Don’t open…”	not to open
Pronoun (me → him)	“Help me.”	asked me to help him
Pronoun (you → me/her)	“Call you.”	asked her to call me
Time: tomorrow	“Call me tomorrow.”	…the next day
Place: here	“Put it here.”	…put it there
Place: this	“Take this.”	…take that
Please	“Please wait.”	asked … to wait (no please)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Incorrect	✅ Correct
He asked that I helped him.	He asked me to help him.
She asked to me open the door.	She asked me to open the door.
They asked don’t be late.	They asked us not to be late.
He told me that open the window.	He asked me to open the window.

Tip: Use tell for orders/instructions, ask for requests. Tell can also work

“He told me to open the door” (more commanding). Ask is softer.

Practice Exercises