REPORTED SPEECH
LÝ THUYẾT
I. Direct speech vs reported speech (Phân biệt lối nói trực tiếp và gián tiếp)
- Câu trực tiếp là lời nhắc lại những từ ngữ chính xác 1 ai đó phát ngơn ra. Khi viết, câu
trực tiếp được đặt trong dấu ngoặc kép (quotation marks).
Ví dụ:
Mai said, "I want to be a designer."
(Mai nói, "Tớ muốn trở thành một nhà thiết kế.")
Câu tường thuật hay câu gián tiếp là lời nhắc lại nội dung, ý của ai đó nói ra (nhưng khơng
cần phải chính xác từng từ từng ngữ). Khi viết, câu tường thuật không được đặt trong dấu
ngoặc kép, thay vào đó chúng ta sử dụng các động từ giới thiệu nội dung được tường thuật
(reporting verb) như say, tell...
Ví dụ:
Mai said she wanted to be a designer.
(Mai nói rằng cơ ấy muốn trở thành một nhà thiết kế.)
II. . Direct to reported speech (Quy tắc chuyển từ câu trực tiếp sang câu gián tiếp)
Khi chuyển từ lối nói trực tiếp sang lối nói gián tiếp, các em cần xác định:
• Lùi thì
• Biến đổi ngơi, đổi tân ngữ
• Biến đổi cụm từ chỉ thời gian, nơi chốn
2.1. Changes in verb tenses (Biến đổi thì của động từ)
Khi động từ tường thuật (reporting verb) được chia ở thì quá khứ, các bạn cần lùi thì
(backshift) của động từ khi chuyển từ câu trực tiếp sang câu gián tiếp như sau:
Direct speech

Reported speech

Present simple (hiện tại đơn)

Past simple (quá khứ
đơn)

Present continuous (hiên tại tiếp diễn )

Past continuous (quá
khứ tiếp diễn)

Present perfect/ Past simple (hiện tại hoàn
thành/ quá khứ đơn)

Past perfect (quá khứ
hoàn thành)

Present perfect continuous/ Past continuous

Past perfect


(hiện tại hoàn thành tiếp diễn/ quá khứ tiếp
diễn)

continuous
(quá khứ hồn thành
tiếp diễn)

will

would

can


could

may

might

must

had to

Ví dụ 1:
• Direct: Mary said, "I am tired."
(Mary nói, “Tơi cảm thấy mệt mỏi.”)
• Indirect: Mary said she was tired.
(Mary nói rằng cơ ấy cảm thấy mệt mỏi.)
Vì câu sử dụng động từ tường thuật said (chia ở quá khứ), nên khi chuyển sang câu gián tiếp,
ta cần lùi thì của động từ trong câu nói trực tiếp. Cụ thể, động từ “to be” được chia ở thì hiện
tại đơn là “am” sẽ được chuyển lùi về một thì, thành quá khứ đơn là “was” tương ứng với
chủ ngữ ngơi thứ ba số ít “she”.
- Ví dụ 2:
• Direct: “I can swim,” Kate told me.
(“Tơi biết bơi.”, Kate nói với tơi.)
• Indirect: Kate told me she could swim.
(Kate nói với tơi rằng cơ ấy biết bơi.)
Tương tự, ta thấy động từ tường thuật tell được chia ở thì quá khứ đơn là told. Nên khi
chuyển từ câu trực tiếp sang câu gián tiếp, ta cần lùi thì của động từ khuyết thiếu “can” thành
“could”. Động từ “swim” sau “can/ could” được giữ nguyên.

2.2. Changes in pronouns/ other words (Biến đổi đại từ/ một số từ khác)



Thông thường, chúng ta cũng cần biến đổi đại từ, tính từ sở hữu cũng như một số từ khác
trong câu trực tiếp cho phù hợp với câu gián tiếp mới như sau:
Direct speech

Subject pronouns
(Đại từ chủ ngữ)

Object pronouns
(Đại từ tân ngữ)

Possessive adjectives
(Tính từ sở hữu)

Possessive pronouns
(Đại từ sở hữu)

Demonstratives
(Từ chỉ định)

Reported speech

I

he/ she

you

I/ he/ she/ we/ they


we

we/ they

me

him/ her

you

me/ him/ her / us/ them

us

us/ them

my

his/ her

your

my/ his/ her/ our/ their

our

our/ their

mine


his/ hers

yours

mine/ his/ hers/ ours/ theirs

ours

ours/ theirs

this

the/ that

these

the/ those

- Ví dụ:
• Direct: Lan said, “I borrowed this pen from my friend.”
(Lan nói, “Tơi đã mượn cái bút này từ bạn của tơi.”)
• Indirect: Lan said she had borrowed that pen from her friend.


(Lan nói rằng cơ ấy đã mượn cái bút đó từ bạn của cô ấy.)
2.3. Changes in time and place expressions (Biến đổi trạng ngữ chỉ thời gian và nơi chốn)
Direct speech

Reported speech


Here

There

now

then

today/ tonight

that day/ that night

tomorrow

the next day/ the following day

next + Time
e.g. next week

the following + Time
e.g. the following week

this + Time
e.g. this week

that + Time
e.g. that week

yesterday


the previous day/ the day before

last + Time
e.g. last week

the + Time + before/ the previous + Time
e.g. the week before/ the previous week

ago

before

Ví dụ:
• Direct: “We will visit you this week,” my parents told me.
(“Bố mẹ sẽ đến thăm con trong tuần này,” bố mẹ nói với tơi.)
• Indirect: My parents told me they would visit me that week.
(Bố mẹ bảo tôi rằng họ sẽ đến thăm tôi vào tuần đó.)

Tóm lại, nhớ ba quy tắc cơ bản sau:


- Lùi động từ ở câu trực tiếp lại một thì so với lúc ban đầu (khi các động từ giới thiệu
như say, tell…ở quá khứ) khi cần thiết.
- Đổi chủ ngữ và các đại từ, tính từ sở hữu và từ chỉ định trong câu trực tiếp cho phù
hợp với câu gián tiếp mới.
- Biến đổi các trạng từ/ trạng ngữ chỉ thời gian và địa điểm theo quy tắc.
II. Some types of reported speech (Một vài loại câu tường thuật)
1. Reported statements (câu tường thuật câu trần thuật)
Cấu trúc:


Ví dụ:
• Direct: Kate said, "I will study harder.”
(Kate nói, “Tơi sẽ học hành chăm chỉ hơn.”)
• Indirect: Kate said that she would study harder.
(Kate nói rằng cơ ấy sẽ học hành chăm chỉ hơn.)
- Lưu ý sự khác biệt trong cách sử dụng “said” and “told” như sau:
+ Sau “said”, có thể có hoặc khơng có tân ngữ. Trường hợp có tân ngữ đi kèm, ta cần sử
dụng giới từ “to” xen giữa “said” và tân ngữ.
+ Còn “told” thì ln cần tân ngữ theo sau, và khơng cần giới từ đi kèm.
Ví dụ:
• Direct: "I want to go home." √
("Tơi muốn về nhà.")
• Indirect:
She said she wanted to go home. √
(Cơ ấy nói rằng cơ ấy muốn về nhà).
She said to me that she wanted to go home. √
(Cơ ấy nói với tơi rằng cơ ấy muốn về nhà.)
She told me she wanted to go home.√
(Cô ấy bảo tôi rằng cô ấy muốn về nhà.)
She told she wanted to go home. Χ
She said me that she wanted to go home. Χ

2. Reported questions (Câu hỏi tường thuật)


2.1. Yes/ No questions:
- Cấu trúc:

- Ví dụ:
• Direct: "Do you study English well?", Mary asked Mai.

(“Bạn học tiếng Anh có giỏi khơng?”, Mary hỏi Mai.)
• Indirect:
Mary asked Mai if she studied English well.
Mary asked Mai whether she studied English well.
(Mary đã hỏi Mai xem cô ấy học tiếng Anh có giỏi khơng.)
2.2. Wh-questions:
- Cấu trúc:

- Ví dụ:
• Direct: "What did you say?", she asked.
(“Bạn nói gì vậy?”, cơ ấy hỏi.)
• Indirect: She asked what I had said.
(Cơ ấy hỏi rằng tơi đã nói gì.)
3. Reported requests/ orders (Câu tường thuật yêu cầu/ mệnh lệnh)
- Cấu trúc:

Tùy vào sắc thái ý nghĩa và văn cảnh của câu mà các em lựa chọn sử dụng asked (yêu cầu,
bảo), told (bảo, ra lệnh), begged (van xin, nài nỉ), requested (yêu cầu, đề nghị), urged (cố
thuyết phục) sao cho phù hợp.
- Ví dụ 1:
• Direct: "Can you help me with my homework, please?", she asked me.
“Bạn có thể giúp mình làm bài tập về nhà được không?”, cô ấy hỏi tôi.


• Indirect: She asked me to help her with her homework.
Cô ấy nhờ tôi giúp cô ấy làm bài tập về nhà.
- Ví dụ 2:
• Direct: "Don’t play computer games!", my mother told me.
“Khơng được chơi trị chơi điện tử !”, mẹ ra lệnh cho tơi.
• Indirect: My mother told me not to play computer games.

Mẹ tôi ra lệnh cho tơi khơng được chơi trị chơi điện tử.
4. Reported advice (Câu tường thuật lời khun)
Cấu trúc:

- Ví dụ:
• Direct: “You should see the dentist,” said Mai.
("Bạn nên đi khám nha sỹ," Mai nói.)
• Indirect:
Mai advised me to see the dentist.
Mai advised that I should see the dentist.
(Mai khuyên tôi nên đi khám nha sĩ.)
BÀI TẬP
I. Choose the most suitable picture for the sentence.
(Chọn bức tranh phù hợp nhất với câu cho sẵn.)
1. Lan said that she wanted to be a fashion designer.

2. Lien told me that she had been studying hard for the exam.


3. The teacher asked me not to chat in class.

4. His parents advised him to get a medical degree.

5. Taylor asked me if I could play basketball.

II. Choose the correct option to complete the second sentence.


Chọn đáp án đúng để hoàn thành câu thứ hai.
1. Our teacher asked us, “What are you most worried about?”

=> Our teacher asked us_____________________________________
A. what we were most worried about.
B. what you were most worried about.
C. what were we most worried about?
2. "I got a very high score in my last test, Mum," she said.
=> She told her mother_____________________________________
A. she had got a very high score in my last test.
B. she had got a very high score in her last test.
C. she got a very high score in her last test.
3. "Do you sleep at least eight hours a day?" the doctor asked him.
=> The doctor asked him_____________________________________
A. whether he sleeps at least eight hours a day.
B. did he sleep at least eight hours a day?
C. if he slept at least eight hours a day.
4. "You should visit this company’s website", he told me.
=> He advised me_____________________________________
A. to visit this company’s website.
B. to visit that company's website.
C. visited that company’s website.
5. "I sent you the book last week," my mother told me.
=> My mother said_____________________________________
A. she had sent me the book the week before.
B. she had sent me the book the previous week.
C. Both A & B are correct.

III. Decided whether the indirect speech is correct or incorrect.


Xác định xem câu gián tiếp là đúng (correct) hay sai (incorrect).
1. Direct: "Kate can keep calm even when she has lots of pressure," Tom said to me.

Indirect: Tom told that Kate could keep calm even when she had lots of pressure.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
2. Direct: "Tell Peter I miss him very much," she told me.
Indirect: She told me to tell Peter she missed him very much.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
3. Direct: "I am on my way home now," he said.
Indirect: He said he was on his way home now.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
4. Direct: "Have you ever tried calling a helpline?" the teacher asked Ngoc.
Indirect: The teacher asked Ngoc if she had ever tried calling a helpline.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
5. Direct: "We want to send our son to a university in the UK," they said.
Indirect: They said they wanted to send our son to a university in the UK.
A. Correct
B. Incorrect
IV. Rewrite the following sentences in reported speech.
Viết lại các câu sau sang lối nói gián tiếp.
1. "The support service was set up yesterday," Nick told me.
=>_______________________________________________________________________
2. She said, "I don't know why I am so tired today."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
3. They said, "We are taking English classes here."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
4. He asked me, "Can you lend me your bike this morning?"



=>_______________________________________________________________________
5. "If I were you, I would get some sleep", she advised me.
=>_______________________________________________________________________
V. Change the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of each
answer. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. (Present
Simple)
1) "He works in a bank."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "Julie doesn't like going out much."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
3) "I don't have a computer."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
4) "They never arrive on time."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
5) "We often meet friends in London at the weekend."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
6) "David doesn't have any children."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
7) "I don't go to the gym very often."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
8) "Lucy owns three flats in the city."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
9) "I never get up early on Sundays."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
10) "Jill meets her boyfriend at the cinema every Friday night."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
11) "We don't travel much."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
12) "John doesn't live in Japan any more."
=>_______________________________________________________________________



13) "They work in Hong Kong."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
14) "I have to work until seven or eight pm every night."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
15) "I don't want to go to the theatre next weekend."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
16) "We like working in Paris."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
17) "She doesn't have enough time to do everything."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
18) "Tony hates mushrooms."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
19) "They often go on holiday in July."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
20) "I live in New York."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
VI. Make the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'he told me' at the beginning of
your answer. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions.
(Present Continuous)
1) "We're working."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "She's coming to the party."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
3) "She's talking on the telephone."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
4) "Lucy is reading a book in front of the fire."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
5) "I'm not going out."

=>_______________________________________________________________________
6) "We are not visiting Paris during our trip."
=>_______________________________________________________________________


7) "I'm listening to my new CD."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
8) "John is working in a bar for the summer."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
9) "I'm not going to go on holiday."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
10) "He isn't living in Beijing."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
11) "I'm taking the train to Berlin."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
12) "She is never coming back."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
13) "Jill is studying a lot."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
14) "I'm not meeting Julie."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
15) "We aren't renting a flat."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
16) "They are visiting the museum."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
17) "She's eating dinner."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
18) "We aren't going to the library."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
19) "I'm coming."

=>_______________________________________________________________________
20) "I'm sleeping."
=>_______________________________________________________________________

VII. Make reported statements. Remember, with the past simple you can change to the
past perfect or keep to the past simple. In this exercise you should change to the past


perfect. Start each sentence with 'he told me'. It's the same day, so you don't need to
change the time expressions. (Past Simple)

1) "Jane left the party early."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "I didn't go out at the weekend."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
3) "He didn't like chocolate as a child."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
4) "They visited Japan."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
5) "She didn't buy the dress."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
6) "I travelled through India and Pakistan."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
7) "He met his girlfriend in a café."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
8) "David didn't arrive until 10 o'clock."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
9) "We went to the park to have a picnic."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
10) "We ate Chinese food, then we walked home."

=>_______________________________________________________________________
11) "She forgot to bring the CDs."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
12) "I didn't like the food in the restaurant."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
13) "He didn't take a shower."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
14) "I worked until six."
=>_______________________________________________________________________


15) "We went to Paris for the weekend."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
16) "The plane left at seven."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
17) "I came to London in 2004."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
18) "Lucy didn't go to university."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
19) "John never studied German."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
20) "I went to the cinema yesterday."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
VIII. Make reported speech from the direct speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of
each. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. (Present
Perfect)
1) "She has visited Paris three times."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "He has read War and Peace."
=>_______________________________________________________________________

3) "I haven't seen Julie for ages."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
4) "He hasn't been to school this week."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
5) "We haven't seen The Lord of the Rings."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
6) "They've eaten in a lot of different restaurants."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
7) "I've never tried skateboarding."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
8) "Lucy has drunk six cups of coffee today."
=>_______________________________________________________________________


9) "Mr Black has written three books."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
10) "It hasn't rained much this year."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
11) "She has never swum in the sea."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
12) "He has studied Latin."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
13) "I've been sick all week."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
14) "Robert has been to China five times."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
15) "I haven't met Richard before."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
16) "Julie has never studied music."
=>_______________________________________________________________________

17) "He has eaten too much chocolate."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
18) "We haven't seen the new play."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
19) "I haven't tried the new restaurant yet."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
20) "I've never been to Brazil."
=>_______________________________________________________________________

IX. Make reported statements. Start each sentence with 'she said' (don't use 'that'). It's
the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. (Future Simple)
1) "I'll go to the cinema later."


=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "We'll meet the children at six."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
3) "She'll be late."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
4) "Lucy will definitely come."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
5) "I will stop smoking on Tuesday."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
6) "John won't do it."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
7) "They won't be able to arrive early."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
8) "I won't come with you."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
9) "He won't remember to buy milk."

=>_______________________________________________________________________
10) "It won't rain later I'm sure."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
11) "The Conservatives will win the next election."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
12) "The girl will never pass the exam."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
13) "John will arrive before David."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
14) "It will be cold tonight."
=>_______________________________________________________________________

15) "Jenny will cook dinner."
=>_______________________________________________________________________


16) "We will get married next year."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
17) "I won't be able to afford a new car."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
18) "She won't want to attend the meeting."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
19) "Richard won't drink coffee."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
20) "I won't vote at the next election."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
X. Change the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of
each answer. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. (mix
tenses)
1) "He works in a bank."

=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "We went out last night."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
3) "I'm coming!"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
4) "I was waiting for the bus when he arrived."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
5) "I'd never been there before."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
6) "I didn't go to the party."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
7) "Lucy will come later."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
8) "He hasn't eaten breakfast."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
9) "I can help you tomorrow."
=>_______________________________________________________________________


10) "You should go to bed early."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
11) "I don't like chocolate."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
12) "I won't see you tomorrow."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
13) "She's living in Paris for a few months."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
14) "I visited my parents at the weekend."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
15) "She hasn't eaten sushi before."

=>_______________________________________________________________________
16) "I hadn't travelled by underground before I came to London."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
17) "They would help if they could."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
18) "I'll do the washing-up later."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
19) "He could read when he was three."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
20) "I was sleeping when Julie called."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
XI. Make reported questions. Use 'she asked me' at the beginning of each answer. It's
the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. (mix questions)
1) "Where is he?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "What are you doing?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________

3) "Why did you go out last night?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________


4) "Who was that beautiful woman?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
5) "How is your mother?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
6) "What are you going to do at the weekend?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
7) "Where will you live after graduation?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________

8) "What were you doing when I saw you?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
9) "How was the journey?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
10) "How often do you go to the cinema?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
11) "Do you live in London?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
12) "Did he arrive on time?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
13) "Have you been to Paris?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
14) "Can you help me?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
15) "Are you working tonight?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
16) "Will you come later?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
17) "Do you like coffee?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
18) "Is this the road to the station?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________


19) "Did you do your homework?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
20) "Have you studied reported speech before?"
=>_______________________________________________________________________
XII. Make reported requests or orders. Start each sentence with 'she asked me' or 'she
told me'. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions.

1) "Please help me carry this."
=>_______________________________________________________________________
2) "Please come early."
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3) "Please buy some milk."
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4) "Could you please open the window?"
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5) "Could you bring the book tonight?"
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6) "Can you help me with my homework, please?"
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7) "Would you bring me a cup of coffee, please?"
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8) "Would you mind passing the salt?"
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9) "Would you mind lending me a pencil?"
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10) "I was wondering if you could possibly tell me the time?"
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11) "Do your homework!"
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12) "Don't smoke!"
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13) "Don't be late!"
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14) "Go to bed!"

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15) "Tidy your room!"
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16) "Wait here!"
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17) "Don't do that!"
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18) "Eat your dinner!"
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19) "Don't make a mess!"
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20) "Do the washing-up!"
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