Reported Speech

[ana2005]

Hello, teachers.

I have seen this sentence in a coursebook and I don't know whether it is an unusual form of Indirect Speech or it is a misprint. Could someone tell me??

Direct speech: "Eat healthier food," the doctor said.
Indirect Speech: The doctor said to eat healthier food.

Thanks a lot

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by ana2005

Hello, teachers.

I have seen this sentence in a coursebook and I don't know whether it is an unusual form of Indirect Speech or it is a misprint. Could someone tell me??

Direct speech: "Eat healthier food," the doctor said.
Indirect Speech: The doctor said to eat healthier food.

Thanks a lot

I think it's fine.

[Miner49'er]

Hi Ana

I can't see anything wrong in either of these sentences.

They both mean that the patient has to eat healthier food.

"said to eat" = "said that he/she must eat healthier food"

[ana2005]

Thank you both of you
I thought that "say" could not be a reporting verb for commands. I had been told to use a different reporting verb for commands (tell, recommend, ask, suggest, beg, etc.). I had been taught the structure:
Direct speech: "Eat healthier food," said the doctor
Indirect speeech: The doctor told me to eat healthier food.
Is there any difference between this one and "The doctor said to eat healthier food"? Is one more frequent or formal or colloquial than the other? Can you introduce the addresee in this second structure? For example, could you write this:
Direct Speech: "Be quiet, children," said their mother.
Indirect Speech: Their mother said the children to be quiet

[Humble]

Hola, Ana,
You are right, in reported speech you can't say Mother said the children to be quiet, only told.
I think even without an addressee The doctor told to eat... is better.

Regards

[ana2005]

Thank you very much Humble

[eddkzk]

Originally Posted by Harry Smith

I think it's fine.

Hi Ana,
I completely agree with Humble.