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Indirect speech: infinitives

He promised to write.​

Speech relating to actions (e.g. promises, agreements, orders, offers, requests, advice and suggestions) is often reported with infinitives.

  • He promised to write.
  • She agreed to wait for me.
  • Anna has offered to babysit tonight.

Object + infinitive is common with ask, advise, tell and order (but not normally with offer).

  • I told Andrew to be careful.
  • The landlady has asked us to be quiet after nine o’clock.
  • I advise you to think again before you decide.
  • The policeman told me not to park there.
  • but not Anna has offered us to babysit tonight.

He asked her how to …​

The structure question word + infinitive is common (see here). It often corresponds to a direct question with should.

  • He asked her how to make a white sauce. (‘How should I make a white sauce?’)
  • Don’t tell me what to do.
  • I’ve forgotten where to put the keys.
  • I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

suggest, say: infinitives not used​

We do not use infinitive structures after suggest (see here) or (usually) after say. However, after these and many other verbs, we can report instructions, etc with that-clauses, usually with modal verbs.

  • I suggested that he should try a different approach. (not I suggested him to try …)
  • The secretary said that I mustn’t park there. (not The secretary said me not to park there.)
  • I told Andrew that he ought to be careful.

Subjunctives (see here) and -ing forms are also possible after some verbs, e.g. suggest. Subjunctives are particularly common in American English.

  • I suggested that he try a different approach.
  • I suggested trying a different approach.
note

For the structures that are possible after particular verbs, see a good dictionary.