"to" or "at" ?

[Nordre]

Dear teachers,

I have a question, which sentence is right? or both?


They told us not the wear a suit to the meeting?

or

They told us not to wear a suit at the meeting?


Thank you in advance.

 

[Rover_KE]

They are both correct. The first is informal.

 

[teechar]

They told us not [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] to wear a suit to the meeting?

See correction.

 

[jutfrank]

It's not about formal or informal. The first sentence (with to) is the one you want.

The second sentence (with at) is possible but with a different meaning. It means that they told us the information at the meeting. The meeting was the occasion on which they told us.

 

[teechar]

The second sentence (with at) is possible but with a different meaning. It means that they told us the information at the meeting. The meeting was the occasion on which they told us.

That's one possibility, but not the only one.

For instance,
Direct speech:
Please do not wear a suit at the meeting.

Reported speech:
They told us not to wear a suit at the meeting.

 

[jutfrank]

For instance,
Direct speech:
Please do not wear a suit at the meeting.

Reported speech:
They told us not to wear a suit at the meeting.

Yes, that's possible but I'd say it would probably be more natural to say Please do not wear a suit to the meeting. Would you agree?

 

[teechar]

Both are okay.