1. The first possibility is to repeat in reported speech more or less what the person said, using the same modal verb but often changing its form:
   
   

   Direct speech	Reported speech
   Will you give me a hand, please?	He asked if I would give him a hand.
   Can you hold this, please?	He asked me if I could hold that.
   What shall I buy?	He asked what he should buy.
   May I go to the toilet?	He asked if he might go to the toilet.
   You must study more.	He said I had to study more.

   
   The modal verbs on the right of the chart above do not change:
   
   

   Direct speech	Reported speech
   Would you give me a hand, please?	He asked me if I would give him a hand.
   Could you hold this, please?	He asked me if I could hold that.
   What should I buy?	He asked what he should buy.
   Might I add something?	He asked if he might add something.

   
   Other modal verbs that do not change are "ought to" (=should) and "used to".
   
   Remember that "must" does not have a past form: that is why we use "had to" instead when it refers to obligation. However, when it refers to deduction, "must" does not usually change:
   
   

   Direct speech	Reported speech
   That must be her boyfriend.	She said that must be her boyfriend.
   It must have been the wind.	He said it must have been the wind.

   
   Remember, too, that in prohibitions we cannot use "didn't have to", because that means "didn't need to", so we use "shouldn't":
   
   

   Direct speech	Reported speech
   We mustn't smoke in here.	He said we shouldn't smoke in there.

   
   


2. The second possibility consists in using a specific introductory verb in reported speech to express the function (request, offer, suggestion...) realised by the speaker in each of them, instead of repeating more or less their literal words:
   
   

   Direct speech	Reported speech
   Will you give me a hand, please?	He asked me to give him a hand.
   Can you hold this, please?	He told me to hold that.
   Shall I buy some bread?	He offered to buy some bread.
   May I go to the toilet?	He asked permission to go to the toilet.
   Would you like to have a glass of wine before supper?	Our host invited us to have a glass of wine before supper.
   You should be more careful.	My instructor advised me to be more careful. My instructor insisted I should be more careful. My instructor insisted I were more careful. (More formal) My instructor insisted I be more careful. (More formal)
   You must stop smoking.	My doctor has told me to stop smoking. My doctor has ordered me to stop smoking. My doctor has forbidden me to smoke.
   Shall we go to the cinema? Let's go to the cinema? Why don't we go to the cinema? Why doesn't he go to the cinema?	She suggested going to the cinema. She suggested we went to the cinema. She suggested we go to the cinema. (More formal) She suggested he go to the cinema.

   
   
   

1. Will you pick me up from work today, honey?
   (Alice said this to her husband yesterday. You are telling me now.). It was a request, not a question about his plans — she would have used "are you going to pick me up...?" for that).
   
   Alice asked [ her husband whether he would pick her up from work that day / yesterday.] Alice asked / told [ her husband to pick her up from work that day / yesterday.]


2. Could you give her a message, please?
   (My daughter's friend phoned her last night, but she was already asleep; This is what I said to my daughter in the morning.)
   
   Your friend asked me [ if I could give you a message.]
   Your friend asked me [ to give you a message.]
   


3. Shall I put these towels in the dirty clothes basket, Mum?
   (Johnny wanted to help his Mum last Saturday.)
   
   Johnny asked [(his Mum) whether he should put those towels in the dirty clothes basket.]
   Johnny offered [to put those towels in the dirty clothes basket.]
   


4. You should stop smoking today, Mr Bryant.
   (The doctor was talking to Mr Bryant in her surgery.)
   
   The doctor said [Mr Bryant should stop smoking that (very) day.]
   The doctor told [Mr Bryant he should stop smoking that (very) day.]
   The doctor advised [Mr Bryant to stop smoking that (very) day.]
   


5. May I put forward a little objection?
   (Senator Franklin said this during last week's session in the U.S. Congress.)
   
   Senator Franklin asked [whether he might put forward a little objection.]
   Senator Franklin asked permission [ to put forward a little objection.]
   


6. Let's spend the evening in the park, shall we?
   (Brian's Mum said this last Saturday.)
   
   Brian's Mum suggested [ they spent the/that evening in the park.]
   Brian's Mum suggested [ spending the/that evening in the park.]
   Brian's Mum suggested [ they spend the/that evening in the park.] (more formal)
   


7. You mustn't use a dictionary to do these exercises.
   (Your teacher told your class this last Monday.)
   
   Our teacher told / ordered [ us not to use a dictionary to do those exercises.]
   Our teacher forbade [ us to use a dictionary to do those exercises.]
   
   Another possibility:
   
   
   Our teacher said we shouldn't use a dictionary to do those exercises.
   
   We cannot use "mustn't", because we are talking about the past; we cannot use "didn't have to", either, because it doesn't mean prohibition, but absence of obligation (= didn't need to"). So the most common option is "shouldn't". A very formal alternative would be:
   
   
   Our teacher said we were not to use a dictionary to do those exercises.


8. I've told you many times, Ann, you must keep your room tidy.
   (Ann's mother was telling her off last week.)
   
   Ann's mother told / ordered [ Ann to keep her room tidy.]
   Ann's mother insisted [ Ann should keep her room tidy.]
   Ann's mother insisted [ Ann kept her room tidy.] (more formal)
   
   (See also the previous question for more possibilities).


9. Will you come to my party, Jane?
   (Context 1: Jake was talking to Jane last month. This was an invitation.)
   Jake [asked Jane whether she would come to his party.]
   Jake [invited Jane to come to his party.]
   
   


10. Will you come with me to the party, Jane?
    (Context 2: Jake was talking to Jane last month. This was a request.)
    Jake [asked Jane if she would come with him to the party.]
    Jake [asked Jane to come with him to the party.]
    

JJCC