1. From an imperative to reported speech
When reporting what someone instructed or asked us to do, replace the imperative with a to-infinitive. The person addressed becomes the object immediately after told or asked.
In told/asked + recipient + (not) to + action, name the recipient with an object form such as me, us, him, or her, or with a noun phrase. Then use the base verb: told me to wait. This reports an instruction for that person to act. Other reporting verbs may take different patterns.
The infinitive does not undergo tense backshift: it has no finite tense, so its form stays the same whether the reporting verb is past or present.
told/asked + person + (not) to + base verb
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V1 / base form —
- The base verb without to: work, go, be.
“Sit up straight.” → The driving instructor told me to sit up straight.
“Sit up straight.” → The driving instructor told me to sit up straight.
Imperative sit becomes to sit, and me immediately follows told.
“Please wait here.” → The hairdresser asked us to wait there.
“Please wait here.” → The hairdresser asked us to wait there.
Asked reports the polite request; here changes to there in this reporting context.
“Don't touch the oven.” → Our chef told the kids not to touch the oven.
“Don't touch the oven.” → Our chef told the kids not to touch the oven.
Don't becomes not to, and the recipient the kids follows told.
2. Told or asked: the force of the utterance
Told and asked have the same grammatical pattern. Their force differs: told reports an instruction or command, while asked reports a request. Direct-speech clues to a request include please, could you, would you, and can you; command clues include a bare imperative, an exclamation mark, and an authoritative tone.
Many everyday instructions can be reported with either verb without a grammatical problem. The impression changes: asked is softer, told more direct. Choose the verb that best preserves the original tone.
Other reporting verbs use this pattern too: ordered for a firm command, warned for a warning, advised for advice, reminded for a reminder, and begged for an urgent plea. They follow verb + person + (not) to + base verb.
told / asked / ordered / warned / advised / reminded / begged + person + (not) to + verb
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
“Hand in your forms by noon.” → The head of department told us to hand in our forms by noon.
“Hand in your forms by noon.” → The head of department told us to hand in our forms by noon.
In this context, the head gives an instruction, so told fits. The absence of please alone does not make every utterance a command.
“Would you mind speaking more slowly, please?” → The tourist asked the driver to speak more slowly.
“Would you mind speaking more slowly, please?” → The tourist asked the driver to speak more slowly.
The polite would you mind and please lead to asked; the mind + -ing structure is replaced.
“Be careful on the ice!” → My uncle warned me to be careful on the ice.
“Be careful on the ice!” → My uncle warned me to be careful on the ice.
Warned keeps the pattern with a person and to.
3. Prohibitions: not to
When direct speech uses Don't…, put not before the to-infinitive in reported speech: told/asked + person + not to + base verb. Do not retain don't inside this reported construction or replace the infinitive with an -ing form.
To not + verb also occurs in usage, especially conversationally. Not to remains the main learning pattern; this rule's materials accept both orders where the meaning is unchanged.
Negative requests work the same way: asked + person + not to. This reports Please don't… with the softer tone of a request.
told/asked + person + not to + base verb
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V1 / base form —
- The base verb without to: work, go, be.
“Don't be nervous.” → Her coach told her not to be nervous.
“Don't be nervous.” → Her coach told her not to be nervous.
Don't be becomes not to be; her refers to the athlete.
“Please don't park here.” → The attendant asked me not to park there.
“Please don't park here.” → The attendant asked me not to park there.
A negative request: asked + me + not to; here changes to there in this reporting context.
4. The recipient after told/asked in this pattern
An instruction to another person needs a recipient: told us/the students not to submit late. Asked to … without a recipient is also possible, but has a different meaning: She asked to leave requests permission for her own departure. Distinguish it from She asked me to leave, where she requests my departure.
The recipient takes no preposition. Do not insert to before the person by analogy with another language: use told us, not told to us to leave.
Said does not take this person + infinitive pattern: said me to… is incorrect. For an instruction, choose told, asked, ordered, or another suitable verb. For a different meaning, such as requesting an object, ask takes for: asked for a pen. That is not the infinitive construction.
The plumber told Mr Ortiz to turn off the water.
The plumber told Mr Ortiz to turn off the water.
Mr Ortiz is named directly after told, without a preposition.
The tutor asked everyone to submit drafts by Friday.
The tutor asked everyone to submit drafts by Friday.
The recipient can also be a pronoun such as everyone.
He asked for a pen. He asked me to bring a pen.
He asked for a pen. He asked me to bring a pen.
Ask for + noun requests an object; asked + person + to + verb requests an action.
5. Pronouns and contextual expressions can change; the infinitive does not backshift
When reporting someone else's words, adopt the reporter's viewpoint. You becomes me, us, him, her, or them depending on the recipient and reporter. Possessive your becomes my, our, his, her, or their.
When reporting later or from another place, time and place expressions can change: here → there, this → that, now → then, tomorrow → the next day, today → that day. This depends on when and where you report. On the same day and in the same place, many expressions can remain unchanged.
The infinitive to bring does not backshift: the reporting verb and context establish the time. Tense backshift is possible when reporting statements, but is not automatic in every situation there either.
“Bring your sketchbook here tomorrow.” → He told us to bring our sketchbooks there the next day.
“Bring your sketchbook here tomorrow.” → He told us to bring our sketchbooks there the next day.
Your → our, here → there, tomorrow → the next day, while to bring stays unchanged.
“Show me your pass.” — the steward said to the passengers. → The steward told the passengers to show him their passes.
“Show me your pass.” — the steward said to the passengers. → The steward told the passengers to show him their passes.
Me becomes him because it refers to the steward; your becomes their because it refers to the passengers.
6. Other verbs: ordered, warned, advised, reminded, and begged
The pattern is not limited to told and asked. Ordered makes the instruction firm, warned gives a warning, advised gives advice, reminded recalls an instruction, and begged conveys an urgent plea. All allow a person and to-infinitive: verb + person + (not) to + base verb.
Negation also goes before to: warned me not to, advised her not to. Select the verb according to the direct utterance's function: prohibition, advice, or reminder.
Do not automatically transfer this pattern to suggest or recommend: they have their own patterns and are covered by separate rules. They are outside this material's focus.
ordered / warned / advised / reminded / begged + person + (not) to + verb
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
The tour rep reminded us to keep our wristbands on.
The tour rep reminded us to keep our wristbands on.
Reminded indicates that the instruction is already known and takes a person plus to.
My brother warned me not to trust the website.
My brother warned me not to trust the website.
Warned with not to expresses a warning about danger.
The judge ordered him to pay the fine.
The judge ordered him to pay the fine.
Ordered reports an official command using the same structure.
7. Boundaries: similar-looking constructions
Asked has two meanings: requesting an action and asking a question. If to + verb follows the person, it is a request. If if, whether, or a question word such as where or why follows, it is a question covered by the rules for reported questions.
Not to also appears in purpose clauses (so as not to, in order not to). There, the infinitive explains why someone acted rather than reporting another person's instruction. Compare She told me not to wake the baby, an instruction, with She left quietly so as not to wake the baby, a purpose.
This lesson practises verb + recipient + (not) to + action. Backshift in reported statements and suggestions with suggest are covered separately.
He asked me to leave. He asked me if I would leave.
He asked me to leave. He asked me if I would leave.
The first is a request with to; the second is a question with if, covered by a neighboring rule.
She told me not to wake the baby. She left quietly so as not to wake the baby.
She told me not to wake the baby. She left quietly so as not to wake the baby.
In the first, not to reports someone else's instruction; in the second, so as not to expresses purpose.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:The instructor said me to stop.
Correct:The instructor told me to stop.
Said does not take the person + infinitive pattern. An instruction needs told, asked, or ordered.
Incorrect:My tutor told me don't be late.
Correct:My tutor told me not to be late.
Imperative don't does not remain in this reported structure: replace it with not to + base verb.
Incorrect:The chef asked us putting on aprons.
Correct:The chef asked us to put on aprons.
After asked + person, use a to-infinitive, not an -ing form.
Incorrect:The usher told to sit down.
Correct:The usher told us to sit down.
Active told requires a recipient in this pattern: told + to-infinitive without naming the person instructed does not work.
Incorrect:The taxi driver told me to don't smoke inside.
Correct:The taxi driver told me not to smoke inside.
Do not put don't after to: use not to followed by the base verb.