Reported requests & demands
There are several ways of demanding or asking for something in English. Which one to choose depends on how imperative and how formal you want to sound.
For example
Stop grumbling!
Please listen to me.
Will you come to my office, please?
Could you please hold my bag for a second?
Would you mind introducing us?
If we want to transform somebody's demand or request into the reported speech, we use:
- tell somebody to do something — for reported imperative (commands, demands)
- ask somebody to do something — for reported requests
If the imperative was negative (don't go, don't do), we put "not" before the infinitive: tell somebody not to do something.
Examples of "tell"
Sophie to me: "Don't go there!" → Sophie told me not to go there.
Sophie to her assistant: "Send these invitations today!" → Sophie told her assistant to send the invitations that day.
Sophie to Edgar: "Don't park your car in my parking lot!" → Sophie told Edgar not to park his car in her parking lot.
Examples of "ask"
Anne to me: "Please wait for me!" → Anne asked me to wait for her.
Anne to Bill: "Will you put the dishes into the dishwasher, please?" → Anne asked Bill to put the dishes into the dishwasher.
Anne to Sue: "Can you please pick me up at seven o'clock?" → Anne asked Sue to pick her up at seven o'clock.
Anne to her boss: "Could you sign this document, please?" → Anne asked her boss to sign the document.
You can use other verbs besides "ask" and "tell", for instance, order, advise, recommend etc.