Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Turn direct orders into polite reports by using a reporting verb, an object, and a 'to-infinitive'.
- Use 'tell' for commands and 'ask' for requests: 'He told me to wait.'
- Always include the person being spoken to (the object): 'She asked HIM to help.'
- For negative commands, put 'not' before 'to': 'The doctor told me NOT to smoke.'
Overview
Reported Commands and Requests(명령 및 요청의 간접화법)는 일상적인 대화부터 비즈니스 이메일, 학술적인 서술에 이르기까지 핵심적인 역할을 합니다. 누군가가 했던 말을 그대로 따옴표 안에 넣어 전달하는 직접화법(Direct Speech)과 달리, 간접화법은 보고자(Reporter)의 시점에서 문장을 재구성하는 과정이 필요합니다.Finish this by 5 PM!He ordered me to finish it...이라고 표현할지, 아니면 완곡하게 He told me to finish it...이라고 표현할지에 따라 뉘앙스가 완전히 달라집니다.Reporting Verb(보고 동사)의 선택에 따라 수십 가지의 색채를 띠게 됩니다.-라고 하다, -달라고 하다와 영어의 Object + to-infinitive 구조가 문법적으로 완전히 다른 논리를 가지고 있기 때문입니다. 오늘 이 시간을 통해 단순히 규칙을 암기하는 것이 아니라, 원어민이 명령과 요청을 보고할 때 어떤 사고 과정을 거치는지 그 직관을 완벽히 파헤쳐 보겠습니다.Imperative)이 보고 동사의 목적격 보어인 to-infinitive(to 부정사) 구문으로 흡수되는 형태죠.-라고, -으라고와 같은 어미를 붙여 인용임을 나타냅니다. 반면 영어는 동사의 구조 자체를 바꿉니다.“Sit here.” |He told me to sit there. |Sit이라는 명령형 동사가 to sit이라는 부정사 형태로 변하며 told라는 보고 동사의 목적어 뒤에 위치하게 됩니다.Reporting Verb가 그 시점을 결정합니다.“Wait!”→He *tells* me to wait.(현재 보고)“Wait!”→He *told* me to wait.(과거 보고)
to wait 부분은 시제의 영향을 받지 않는 '비한정 동사(Non-finite verb)' 형태를 유지한다는 것입니다. 이는 Reported Statements에서 that절 내부의 시제를 일치시켜야 하는(Backshift) 번거로움이 없다는 뜻이기도 합니다.tell, ask, order 등)는 타동사적 성격이 강해 반드시 그 명령을 받는 대상(Object)이 필요합니다.Reporting Verb의 선택입니다. C1 레벨에서는 상황에 맞는 정교한 동사 선택이 필수입니다.“Please help me.”→She asked me to help her.“Submit the report.”→The boss told him to submit the report.
not의 위치가 핵심입니다. 반드시 to 바로 앞에 위치해야 합니다.“Don't touch it!”→He warned me not to touch it.“Please don't go.”→She begged him not to go.
tell, ask | He told me to... | 가장 보편적이고 담백한 전달 |order, command, direct | The officer ordered us to... | 상하 관계가 뚜렷하고 강제성이 있음 |advise, encourage, urge | The doctor advised him to... | 상대방의 이익을 위한 제안 |warn, forbid | They warned us not to... | 위험이나 규칙 위반을 방지 |beg, implore, entreat | She begged him to... | 감정적으로 강하게 요청 |me→him/herhere→therenow→then / at that timetomorrow→the next day / the following day
- 예:
“The CEO instructed the department heads to re-evaluate the quarterly goals.”(CEO가 직접 «목표 재평가해!»라고 말한 것을 품격 있게 보고함)
- 예:
“My manager asked me to request a copy of the contract from you.”(내가 요구하는 것이 아니라 매니저의 요청임을 밝혀 정중함을 유지함)
- 예:
“The police officer ordered the crowd to move back to the sidewalk.”(현장의 긴박한 지시를 문장 속에 녹여냄)
- 예:
“The gym rules forbid members to use the equipment without a towel.”(회원들에게 하는 명령을 일반적인 규칙으로 보고함)
tell이나 order는 타동사로서 반드시 목적어가 필요합니다.- 잘못된 예:
*He told to come.*(X) - 옳은 예:
He told me to come.(O) - 이유: 영어 원어민의 뇌 구조에서
tell은 '정보를 받는 대상'이 없으면 문장이 미완성된 것으로 느껴집니다.
that절의 오용 (The 'That-Clause' Confusion)that절로 옮기려는 경향이 있습니다. 특히 tell 동사 뒤에 that절을 쓰면 명령이 아니라 '정보 전달'이 되어버립니다.- 잘못된 예:
*She told me that I open the window.*(X) - 옳은 예:
She told me to open the window.(O) - 참고: 만약
that절을 꼭 쓰고 싶다면suggest나insist같은 동사를 써서 가정법 현재(Subjunctive)를 활용해야 합니다. (She insisted that I (should) open the window.)
not의 위치 오류 (Misplaced 'not')to not이라고 쓰는 경우가 많습니다.- 잘못된 예:
*He told me to not go.*(△ - 구어체에서 쓰이기도 하지만 격식체에선 지양) - 옳은 예:
He told me not to go.(O) - 이유: 부정어
not은 준동사(부정사, 동명사, 분사) 바로 앞에 위치하는 것이 영어의 철칙입니다.
He told me to go. | 강제성/지시의 성격이 강함. to-v 사용. |He suggested going. / He suggested that I (should) go. | 제안의 성격. tell과 달리 suggest는 object + to-v 구조를 가질 수 없음. |He said that I had to go. | 사실 전달의 성격. that절을 사용하여 의무(had to)를 표현함. |He asked if I wanted to go. | 의사 확인의 성격. if/whether 절 사용. |Say vs TellHe said me to go라고 실수합니다. Say는 명령 보고 구조(Object + to-v)를 취할 수 없습니다. 굳이 say를 쓰고 싶다면 He said to me that I should go처럼 복잡한 구조를 써야 하므로, 명령 보고 시에는 tell을 쓰는 것이 훨씬 자연스럽습니다.Please가 들어간 정중한 요청은 어떻게 보고하나요?Please는 보고 문장에서 사라지는 대신, 보고 동사를 ask나 request로 선택함으로써 그 정중함을 표현합니다.“Please, could you open the door?”→He asked me to open the door.(이미ask에please의 의미가 녹아 있습니다.)
suggest는 왜 suggest me to go라고 하면 안 되나요?tell, ask, order는 목적어에게 직접적인 영향을 미치는 동사들이라 Object + to-v를 취하지만, suggest는 '아이디어' 자체를 제안하는 동사라 동명사(-ing)나 that절을 목적어로 취합니다. C1 레벨에서는 이런 동사별 패턴을 정확히 구분하는 것이 실력의 척도입니다.“The manual tells you to press the red button.”(설명서의 지시는 언제나 유효하므로 현재형tells사용)
forbid 동사의 부정형 보고는 어떻게 하나요?forbid 자체가 '금지하다'라는 부정적 의미를 담고 있으므로, 뒤에 not을 또 쓰지 않도록 주의해야 합니다.“Don't enter!”→He forbade us to enter.(O) /He forbade us not to enter.(X - 이중 부정으로 '들어오라고 강요했다'는 뜻이 됨)
He told me...만 쓰던 습관에서 벗어나 He urged me... 혹은 He advised me...라고 말하는 순간, 여러분의 영어는 한층 더 고급스러워질 것입니다.Structure of Reported Commands
| Subject | Reporting Verb | Object | Infinitive (to + verb) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The teacher
|
told
|
the students
|
to open their books.
|
|
My friend
|
asked
|
me
|
to help him.
|
|
The boss
|
ordered
|
us
|
to finish the project.
|
|
She
|
warned
|
him
|
not to touch the wire.
|
|
I
|
begged
|
her
|
to stay.
|
|
The sign
|
instructs
|
visitors
|
to wait here.
|
Meanings
The grammatical structure used to relay instructions, orders, or requests made by someone else without using their exact words.
Direct Commands
Reporting a firm order or instruction where the speaker has authority.
“The officer ordered the suspect to put his hands up.”
“My boss told me to attend the meeting.”
Polite Requests
Reporting a request where the speaker is asking for a favor or cooperation.
“She asked the waiter to bring some water.”
“He requested the guests to remain seated.”
Urgent Advice or Warnings
Reporting a directive that functions as a warning or strong suggestion.
“The lifeguard warned us not to swim near the rocks.”
“The manual advises users to unplug the device before cleaning.”
Reference Table
| 직접 명령문 | 전달 동사 | 간접 명령문 (긍정) | 간접 명령문 (부정) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
"Call me later!"
|
tell
|
She told me to call her later.
|
She told me not to call her later.
|
|
"Please help me."
|
ask
|
He asked me to help him.
|
He asked me not to bother him.
|
|
"Stop right there!"
|
order
|
The officer ordered them to stop.
|
The officer ordered them not to move.
|
|
"Study harder."
|
advise
|
My teacher advised me to study harder.
|
My teacher advised me not to procrastinate.
|
|
"Don't touch that."
|
warn
|
They warned us not to touch that.
|
They warned us not to go near the edge.
|
|
"Send the report."
|
request
|
The manager requested him to send the report.
|
The manager requested him not to delay the report.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
The chairperson requested that the observers vacate the chamber. (Evicting people from a space)
He asked everyone to leave the room. (Evicting people from a space)
He told us to get out. (Evicting people from a space)
He was like, 'Yo, clear out.' (Evicting people from a space)
명령문 & 요청문 전달 흐름
핵심 구조
- Subject Reporter
- Reporting Verb tell, ask, order...
- Object Person addressed
- (not) to + Base Verb The command/request
주요 동사
- tell 중립적인 지시
- ask 정중한 요청
- order 강한 명령
- advise 권고
- warn 경고
사용 시점
- Politeness 직접 명령 완화
- Relaying Info 지시 공유
- Formal Settings 전문적인 소통
- Avoiding Directness 덜 대립적
간접 명령문 vs. 간접 진술문 비교
명령/요청 전달: 빠른 가이드
직접 명령문 또는 요청문(명령형)인가요?
전달 동사를 위한 명시적인 '목적어'(대상)가 있나요?
원래 명령문이 긍정문인가요, 부정문인가요?
'to' 뒤에 동사원형을 사용했나요?
전달 동사 파워업
중립적인 지시
- • tell me to...
- • remind them to...
- • instruct her to...
요청/조언
- • ask him to...
- • advise us to...
- • encourage me to...
강한 명령/경고
- • order them to...
- • warn us not to...
- • forbid her to...
설득/긴급성
- • urge them to...
- • beg me to...
- • implore him to...
수준별 예문
He told me to go.
He told me to go.
She asked me to help.
She asked me to help.
The teacher told us to listen.
The teacher told us to listen.
Mom told me to eat.
Mom told me to eat.
The doctor told him not to smoke.
The doctor told him not to smoke.
I asked her to open the window.
I asked her to open the window.
He told them to be quiet.
He told them to be quiet.
She asked me not to tell anyone.
She asked me not to tell anyone.
The police officer ordered the driver to stop.
The police officer ordered the driver to stop.
My boss warned me not to be late again.
My boss warned me not to be late again.
They begged us to stay for dinner.
They begged us to stay for dinner.
The sign instructed visitors to keep off the grass.
The sign instructed visitors to keep off the grass.
The coach encouraged the players to keep trying.
The coach encouraged the players to keep trying.
She forbade her children to watch that movie.
She forbade her children to watch that movie.
The guide urged the tourists to stay together.
The guide urged the tourists to stay together.
He reminded me to bring my passport.
He reminded me to bring my passport.
The diplomat implored the nations to seek a peaceful resolution.
The diplomat implored the nations to seek a peaceful resolution.
The court summoned the defendant to appear on Tuesday.
The court summoned the defendant to appear on Tuesday.
The board petitioned the CEO to reconsider the layoffs.
The board petitioned the CEO to reconsider the layoffs.
The general commanded the troops to retreat immediately.
The general commanded the troops to retreat immediately.
The priest adjured the witness to tell the absolute truth.
The priest adjured the witness to tell the absolute truth.
The treaty enjoined the signatories to uphold human rights.
The treaty enjoined the signatories to uphold human rights.
She was to be instructed to vacate the premises by dawn.
She was to be instructed to vacate the premises by dawn.
The king decreed his subjects to pay a new tax.
The king decreed his subjects to pay a new tax.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners often use 'say' with an object and infinitive, which is incorrect.
Learners try to use 'suggest' with an object + infinitive.
Confusing the verb 'advise' with the noun 'advice' in reported speech.
자주 하는 실수
He told to me go.
He told me to go.
She said me to wait.
She told me to wait.
He told me go.
He told me to go.
I asked him for help me.
I asked him to help me.
He told me to not smoke.
He told me not to smoke.
The teacher told that we sit down.
The teacher told us to sit down.
She asked to me to help.
She asked me to help.
He suggested me to go.
He suggested that I go.
They ordered to the soldiers to fire.
They ordered the soldiers to fire.
He demanded me to leave.
He demanded that I leave.
The law forbids to smoke here.
The law forbids smoking here / forbids people to smoke here.
문장 패턴
My boss ___ me to ___.
The doctor ___ him not to ___.
The authorities ___ the public to ___.
Real World Usage
Sarah told me to tell you to bring the snacks.
My previous supervisor encouraged me to take the lead on the project.
The specialist advised me not to lift anything heavy for a week.
The crew requested all passengers to fasten their seatbelts.
The officer ordered the driver to step out of the vehicle.
And then she literally asked me to delete the photo!
동사를 현명하게 선택하세요
She asked me to come quickly.
목적어를 빼먹지 마세요!
He told me to submit the report.'me'를 빼먹으면 안 돼!
간접적인 피드백에 완벽해요
The manager advised him to double-check his work.이렇게 말하면 훨씬 부드럽게 들려.
영어에서의 공손함
Give me that! 대신 Could you give me that?처럼 말하는 게 좋지. 간접 명령문도 마찬가지로 공손함을 더해줘.
She asked me to pass the salt.
부정 명령문을 마스터하세요
My mom told me not to come home late.이 표현이 자연스럽게 나올 때까지 연습해 봐.
Smart Tips
Default to 'tell' for orders and 'ask' for requests. They are never wrong in neutral contexts.
Think of 'not to' as a single unit that cannot be separated.
Never use 'suggested me to'. Use 'suggested that I' or 'suggested -ing'.
Use 'instruct' or 'direct' to sound professional in emails.
발음
Stress on the Reporting Verb
The reporting verb (told, asked, warned) usually carries the most stress to emphasize the intent.
Reduction of 'to'
In natural speech, 'to' is often reduced to a schwa /tə/.
Falling intonation on the command
He told me to ↘wait.
Conveys the finality of the instruction.
암기하기
기억법
Remember 'T.O.T': Tell + Object + To. It's the 'tot'al way to report a command!
시각적 연상
Imagine a puppet master (the speaker) pulling strings (the reporting verb) to make a puppet (the object) perform an action (the to-infinitive).
Rhyme
When they say 'Go!', you say 'He told me to go.' / When they say 'No!', you say 'He told me not to go.'
Story
A king (Subject) gave a scroll (Reporting Verb) to a messenger (Object) with a map (to-infinitive) showing where to go. The messenger told the villagers to follow the map.
Word Web
챌린지
Look at three signs in your neighborhood (e.g., 'No Parking', 'Push', 'Wait here') and report them out loud using different verbs.
문화 노트
British speakers often use 'shall' or 'should' in reported directives to sound more polite or formal, e.g., 'He said that I should wait.'
American English frequently uses the mandative subjunctive for formal commands, especially with 'insist' or 'demand'.
In modern tech companies, direct commands are often reported as 'suggestions' or 'asks' to sound less hierarchical.
The use of the infinitive to report commands dates back to Old English, where the infinitive was used to express purpose or result after verbs of bidding or commanding.
대화 시작하기
What did your parents always tell you to do when you were a kid?
If you were a king or queen for a day, what would you order your subjects to do?
Tell me about a time a boss or teacher urged you to do something difficult.
What have the authorities recently instructed citizens to do regarding the environment?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
The coach advised the players ___ warm up before the game.
Find and fix the mistake:
My mom told don't stay out late.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercisesShe warned me ___ ___ ___ the stove.
Choose the best option:
Find and fix the mistake:
The boss suggested me to work late.
He told me...
1. 'Get out!' 2. 'Could you help?' 3. 'Don't go there, it's dangerous.'
A: What did the doctor say? B: He ___ me ___ more water.
Sort the verbs:
not / the / to / told / teacher / us / talk
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesThe librarian ___ me to keep quiet in the reading room.
The teacher told students to studying harder for the final.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'El jefe me dijo que enviara el email.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the direct commands with the start of their reported forms:
The sign ___ drivers ___ (slow) down.
Which of these sentences contains a grammatical error?
Choose the most polite option:
Translate into English: 'Nos aconsejó que no bebiéramos el agua.'
Rearrange the words to make a meaningful sentence:
Score: /11
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
Not directly with an infinitive. You can't say `He said me to go`. You must use `tell` or use a 'that' clause with `say`, like `He said that I should go`.
It's a 'split infinitive'. While common in casual English, it's technically better to say `not to go` in formal writing and exams.
Yes, for verbs like `tell`, `ask`, `order`, and `warn`, the person being spoken to must be mentioned.
`Ask` is neutral and common. `Request` is formal and often used in business or official contexts.
Use a plural object like `them` or `us`. Example: `The coach told them to run`.
Yes. `She forbade him to leave`. Note that `forbid` is quite formal and the past tense is `forbade`.
You can use a general object like `people` or `everyone`, or use a passive structure: `Visitors are instructed to wait`.
Yes. If you are reporting a past command, use `told`. If you are reporting a general rule, you can use `tells` or `instructs`.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
decir que + subjunctive
English uses an infinitive; Spanish uses the subjunctive.
dire de + infinitive
French requires the preposition 'de' before the infinitive.
sagen + zu + infinitive
German places the infinitive at the very end of the sentence.
youni iu
Japanese uses a completely different particle-based structure.
amara bi + infinitive / an + subjunctive
Arabic often requires a specific preposition depending on the reporting verb.
rang / jiao
Chinese has no 'to' particle and no tense changes.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
관련 동영상
13:23 What’s really happening in Iran right now
01:32 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Why the halfling (Full HD)
06:28 Eternals Vs Ikaris - Final Fight Scene | ETERNALS (2021) Sci-Fi, Movie CLIP HD
REPORTED SPEECH | INDIRECT SPEECH | DIRECT SPEECH - statements, questions, commands
Arnel's Everyday English
Related Grammar Rules
객관성을 위한 수동태: '...라고 한다'
Overview 뉴스 리포터들이 왜 그렇게 진지하게 들리는지 궁금한 적이 있나요? 그들은 "내 생각에 이런 일이 일어난 것 같다"라고...
조동사 및 수동태 보고 화법 (C1)
### Overview 영어를 학습하면서 B2 수준을 넘어 C1(Advanced) 단계에 도달한다는 것은 단순히 문장을 정확하게 만드는 것을 넘...
보고 동사: 누가 무엇을 말했는가?
### Overview 여러분, 안녕하세요! 오늘은 영어의 'Reporting Verbs'에 대해 알아볼 거예요. 이 표현들은 다른 사람이 말하거나...
수동태를 사용하는 시점 (뉴스 및 소문 보도)
### 개요 수동태는 영어에서 행위의 주체(agent)가 알려지지 않았거나, 중요하지 않거나, 혹은 의도적으로 생략될 때 사용되는...
수동형 보도 구조 (그는 ~라고 합니다...)
### Overview 영어에서 `He is said to be...`와 같은 수동태 전달 구문(Passive Reporting Structures)은 정보, 의견, 또는 믿...
