1.1 The group was asked to be on time

Icono de iDevice Solved exercise

Let's take some of the sentences used in the previous section.

 

Direct or quoted speech
Watch out!
Don't use hiking boots all the time.
Fill up the water bottles before leaving.
Don't use any other liquid but water.
Don't drink any alcohol before trekking, please.
Be on time, please.
Come to my party.
By Chris Stickley. C. Commons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Could you report them in the present? Try to avoid using say or tell.

As you can see in the examples above, imperative sentences are frequently reported using the following structures:

 

Affirmative  Negative 
 TO + Infinitive
 NOT TO + Infinitive 

Icono IDevice Further knowledge

Click here to watch an excellent video on the subject before doing the exercises below.

 

Now, it's time for you to practise. In order to do so, do the following exercises.

 


Icono de iDevice Self-assessment activity
Complete the sentences to report what was said in the past. Use one of the following reporting verbs in the past simple: ask, warn, advise, or command.

1. "Study as hard as Sonia if you want to learn English," the teacher said.

- The teacher Paco as hard as Sonia if he wanted to learn English.

By wendizzle. C. Commons

2. "Stay there! A car is coming," he told them.

- He them there because a car was coming.

3. "Don't open the presents until I arrive!," she told her son.

- She her son the presents until she arrived.

4. "Don't fill up the water bottle with coffee or tea, please," Devaj said.

- Devaj them the water bottle with coffee or tea.

5. "Tidy up your room immediately," her mum told Sarah.

Sarah's mother her her room immediately.

  

Icono IDevice Curiosity

In time vs on time

What is the difference between these two time phrases? Sometimes we use words, phrases or expressions in English with a slight difference between them. Here we have an example.

In time means that you do the action of the verb with enough time to spare; before the last moment.

I knew I would join the rest in time

On time means that you do the action of the verb at the planned time; neither late nor early.

The group was asked to be on time and all arrived by 8.00 a.m.


Obviously, whenever we arrange to meet someone or do something, it is far better to do it in time, in spite of the fact that you have the chance to do it even though you are on time.

But do you think that's all? No, it isn't, since in time has another meaning, "eventually", "after time passes" (Things will get better in time).This is the way Leona Lewis uses the phrase in her song "Better in Time", from her album Spirit, released in November 2007. Listen to it! If you need the lyrics to understand it, click here.


Once, we have studied how to report imperative sentences, let's concentrate on statements, that is, affirmative and negative sentences. Come on, it's also very easy.
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