[Grammar] Lan told me not to lock the door but shut it.

[Son Ho]

Please tell me if the following reported speech is correct or not.


1)“ Don’t lock the door,” said Lan, “ Shut it”.
Lan told me not to lock the door but shut it.

 

[jutfrank]

Lan told me only to shut the door, not to lock it.

Where did you get this question?

 

[Tarheel]

Or:

Lan told me to shut the door but not lock it.

 

[Son Ho]

Or:

Lan told me to shut the door but not lock it.

Could I use Lan told me to shut the door but not to lock it? We must cross out to, mustn't we?

 

[Son Ho]

I got this sentence on the internet.

 

[jutfrank]

Could I use Lan told me to shut the door but not to lock it? We must cross out to, mustn't we?

Yes, it's fine with to. In fact, I'd advise you to include it.

I got this sentence on the internet.

I don't think it's a well written exercise. The original sentence in your question is not good. With exercises like this, if the original sentences are not good, you can't answer properly. Find a better exercise.

 

[Tarheel]

Could I use Lan told me to shut the door but not to lock it?

That could mean he didn't tell you to lock it.

We must cross out to, mustn't we?

Not necessarily.

What does context tell you?

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd be happy with "Lan told me not to lock the door but to just shut it".

 

[Son Ho]

I'd be happy with "Lan told me not to lock the door but to just shut it".

And could I cross out to? "Lan told me not to lock the door but just shut it".

 

[tedmc]

And could I cross out to? "Lan told me not to lock the door but just shut it".

Yes, the second "to" is optional.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's optional but it makes the sentence potentially ambiguous. It could be taken to mean "Lan told me not to lock the door but [Lan] just shut it [instead]". To be crystal clear that Lan told you not to do one thing but told you to do the other thing, use the second "to".