A memory for the surface form and illocutionary force of indirect requests was investigated under a condition where subjects watched a videotaped conversation. The results showed that the surface form of indirect requests was more rapidly forgotten than its content, but the illocutionary force was accurately recalled even 8 weeks later, replicating the finding reported by Sachs (1967) and some other papers. The factors promoting the performance and its process were discussed with reference to the difference between the time required to process indirect requests in laboratory settings and that in everyday situations.