He told me to tell you / RELAYED SPEECH / REPORTED SPEECH

He told me to tell you RELAYED SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH Advanced English Grammar

Explanation + Extra Activities

Relayed Reported Speech Explained in Easy English

Relayed reported speech is used when you want to tell someone what another person said but in a different way. It usually involves giving a message, command, or request from one person to another. Here’s how it works:

Key Features

  1. Changing the Speaker: You are passing on what someone else has said. For example, if John tells you something, you will change the speaker to John when you tell someone else.
  2. Using “Tell” and “Ask”: You often use the verbs “tell” and “ask” to pass on the message.

Basic Structure

  1. Tell someone to… → He/She told me to tell you…
    • Example:
      • Direct Speech: “Tell him to hurry up!”
      • Relayed Reported Speech: He told me to tell you to hurry up.
  2. Ask someone if… → He/She asked me to ask you if…
    • Example:
      • Direct Speech: “Ask her if she can come.”
      • Relayed Reported Speech: She asked me to ask you if she could come.
  3. Could you ask someone wh-… → He/She asked me to ask you wh-…
    • Example:
      • Direct Speech: “Could you ask him where he is?”
      • Relayed Reported Speech: She asked me to ask you where you are.
  4. Could you tell someone to… → He/She asked me to tell you to…
    • Example:
      • Direct Speech: “Could you tell him to wait?”
      • Relayed Reported Speech: He asked me to tell you to wait.

Positive and Negative Forms

  • Positive Form:
    • Direct: “Tell her that I miss her.”
    • Relayed: He told me to tell you that he misses you.
  • Negative Form:
    • Direct: “Tell him not to say anything.”
    • Relayed: She told me to tell you not to say anything.

Summary

  • Changing the Speaker: You change the person who originally spoke.
  • Using “Tell” and “Ask”: You use these verbs to pass on what was said.
  • Positive and Negative: You can relay both positive messages and negative instructions.

By using relayed reported speech, you can share information or requests from one person to another clearly and effectively!

Extra Practice

Relayed reported speech QUIZ

Beginner Level

  1. Direct Speech: “Tell him to come here.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  2. Direct Speech: “Ask her if she is happy.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  3. Direct Speech: “Could you tell him I said hello?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  4. Direct Speech: “Don’t tell them anything.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  5. Direct Speech: “Tell her that I will call tomorrow.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  6. Direct Speech: “Ask him if he likes pizza.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  7. Direct Speech: “Could you ask her to help us?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  8. Direct Speech: “Tell them not to be late.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  9. Direct Speech: “Ask him where he went.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  10. Direct Speech: “Tell her that I finished my work.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  11. Direct Speech: “Don’t ask her about the meeting.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  12. Direct Speech: “Tell him to take a break.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  13. Direct Speech: “Ask them if they are ready.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  14. Direct Speech: “Could you tell her to wait?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  15. Direct Speech: “Tell him I can’t come.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________

Answer Key

Beginner Level

  1. He told me to tell you to come here.
  2. She asked me to ask you if she is happy.
  3. He asked me to tell you that he said hello.
  4. He told me not to tell you anything.
  5. He told me to tell you that he would call tomorrow.
  6. She asked me to ask you if he likes pizza.
  7. She asked me to ask you to help us.
  8. He told me not to be late.
  9. He asked me where he went.
  10. He told me to tell you that he finished his work.
  11. She told me not to ask her about the meeting.
  12. He told me to tell you to take a break.
  13. They asked me to ask you if they are ready.
  14. He asked me to tell you to wait.
  15. He told me that I couldn’t come.

Intermediate Level

  1. Direct Speech: “Could you ask her when she will arrive?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  2. Direct Speech: “Tell them that I am studying for the exam.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  3. Direct Speech: “Ask him if he can help us tomorrow.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  4. Direct Speech: “Don’t tell her what I said.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  5. Direct Speech: “Tell him not to forget his keys.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  6. Direct Speech: “Could you ask them why they are late?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  7. Direct Speech: “Ask her if she knows the answer.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  8. Direct Speech: “Tell him I might be late.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  9. Direct Speech: “Could you tell her to finish the report?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  10. Direct Speech: “Don’t ask them about the project.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  11. Direct Speech: “Tell him that I have already eaten.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  12. Direct Speech: “Ask her if she has seen the movie.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  13. Direct Speech: “Tell them to meet us at the park.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  14. Direct Speech: “Could you ask him when he will finish?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  15. Direct Speech: “Don’t tell her I am here.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________

Answer Key

Intermediate Level

  1. She asked me to ask you when she would arrive.
  2. He told me to tell you that he was studying for the exam.
  3. They told me to ask you if he could help us tomorrow.
  4. She told me not to tell her what she said.
  5. He told me not to forget his keys.
  6. They told me to ask you why they were late.
  7. She asked me to ask you if she knew the answer.
  8. He told me that he might be late.
  9. He asked me to tell you to finish the report.
  10. They told me not to ask them about the project.
  11. He told me to tell you that he had already eaten.
  12. She asked me to ask you if she had seen the movie.
  13. He told me to tell them to meet us at the park.
  14. They asked me to ask him when he would finish.
  15. She told me not to tell her that I was there.

Advanced Level

  1. Direct Speech: “Could you tell him that I had a great time?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  2. Direct Speech: “Ask her if she would like to join us for dinner.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  3. Direct Speech: “Tell them not to worry about the presentation.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  4. Direct Speech: “Could you ask him what time he is leaving?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  5. Direct Speech: “Don’t tell her anything about the surprise.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  6. Direct Speech: “Ask him whether he can come to the party.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  7. Direct Speech: “Tell her that I will send the documents tomorrow.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  8. Direct Speech: “Could you ask them if they have made a decision?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  9. Direct Speech: “Tell him to be careful on the road.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  10. Direct Speech: “Ask her if she has ever been to Paris.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  11. Direct Speech: “Could you tell them that we are running late?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  12. Direct Speech: “Don’t ask him why he didn’t come.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  13. Direct Speech: “Tell her not to be afraid of the dark.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  14. Direct Speech: “Could you ask him when he will make a decision?”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________
  15. Direct Speech: “Tell them that I appreciate their help.”
    Relayed Reported Speech: ________________________________________________

Answer Key

Advanced Level

  1. He asked me to tell you that he had a great time.
  2. She asked me to ask you if she would like to join us for dinner.
  3. They told me not to worry about the presentation.
  4. They asked me to ask him what time he was leaving.
  5. She told me not to tell her anything about the surprise.
  6. He asked me whether he could come to the party.
  7. He told me to tell her that he would send the documents tomorrow.
  8. They asked me to ask them if they had made a decision.
  9. He told me to be careful on the road.
  10. She asked me if she had ever been to Paris.
  11. He asked me to tell them that we were running late.
  12. They told me not to ask him why he didn’t come.
  13. He told me not to be afraid of the dark.
  14. They asked me to ask him when he would make a decision.
  15. He told me to tell them that he appreciated their help.
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