Narration is the study of mode of expression. we express our self into two different forms.

(1) Direct Speech

(2) Indirect Speech

(1) Direct Speech:- If the sentence spoken by the speaker is written without any change, the
sentence is said to be in the direct speech.

Ex- He said to me, " I have called you."

(2) Indirect Speech:- If the sentence spoken by the speaker is changed by the narrator following
certain rules, it is called the indirect speech.

Ex- He told me that he had called me.

Direct speech have two parts

Reporting Speech :- Part of direct speech which is outside of inverted comma is called reporting
speech. Verb in reporting speech is known as reporting verb and subject is known as reporting
subject.

Reported Speech:- Part of direct speech which is inside of inverted comma is called reported
speech.

How to change Direct into Indirect

General Rules of Narration

(1) Remove 'comma' and 'inverted comma' and conjunction 'that' is used.

(2) Change of Person :- Person change according to following rule.

S = Subject 1 = 1st Person ( I, we )

O = Object 2 = 2nd Person ( you )

N = No change 3 = 3rd Person ( He, she, it, they )

(3) Change of Tense/Verb :- The reporting verb is in present or future tense, then the tense of the
reported speech does not change.
Ex- He says, " I am going there."

He says that he is going there.

Ex- He will say to her, " I want to meet you."

He will say to her that he wants to meet her.

But, if the reporting verb is in past tense, then the tense of reported speech change as follow.

Present Indefinite Past indefinite

Present continuous Past continuous

Present perfect Past perfect

Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous

Past indefinite Past perfect

Past perfect No change

Past perfect continuous No change

Shall Should

Will would

Can Could

May Might

Must had to

Ex- He said to me, " I want to meet you."

He told me that he wanted to meet me.

Ex- I said to her, " you have taken my pen."

I told her that she had taken my pen.

Ex- She said to me, " I don't like you."

She told me that she didn't like me.

Narration of Assertive Sentences

Special Rules:-

Rule-1- If in the reporting verb there is an 'object' then say to, says to, said to changed into tell, tells,
told respectively. and say, says, said remains same.

Ex- He said to me, " I don't like you."

He told me that he didn't like me.

Ex- I said to her, " You are not serious."

I told her that she was not serious.

Ex- She said, " I am going."

She said that she was going.

Rule-2- If in the reported speech there is a name with comma then that name is added as the
object of the reporting verb.

Ex- I said, " Ali, I haven't taken your pen."

I told Ali that i hadn't taken his pen.

Ex- He said, " Ali wants to go there."

He said that Ali wanted to go there.

Rule-3- Universal truth

Ex- The hermit said, " God is omnipotent."

The hermit said that God is omnipotent.

Rule-4- Some words in the reported speech also changed.

This - that

These - those

Here - there

Now - then

Today - that day

Tomorrow - the next day

Yesterday - the previous day

To night - that night

Ex- My friend said, " I am going there tomorrow."

My friend said that he was going there the next day.

Rule-5- Sir/Madam is changed into 'respectfully' and it comes after reporting verb.

Ex- The students said, " sir, we want to read narration.

The students said respectfully that they wanted to read narration.

Ex- The servant said, " madam, I want leave."

The servant said respectfully that he wanted leave.

Rule-7- Yes - replied in affirmative

No - replied in negative

Used after reporting subject.

Ex- I said, " Yes, He is my friend."

I replied in affirmative that he was my friend.

Ex- Sara said, " No, I don't read English.

Sara replied in negative that he didn't read English.

Interrogative sentences

Special Rules :-

(1) Auxiliary verb interrogative

Rule- (a) 'Said to' is changed into 'asked'

(b) Comma, inverted comma changed by 'if/whether'

(c) Interrogative change into assertive.

Ex- He said to me, " Have you taken my diary?"

He asked me if i had taken his diary.

Ex- She said, " Does he like me?"

She asked if he liked her.

(2) 'Wh' Interrogative :-

Any conjunction is not used before 'wh' words and other auxiliary verb rules are used.

Ex- He said to me, " Why are you making a noise?"

He asked me why i was making a noise.

Ex- My friend said to me, " When will you return my book?"

My friend asked me when i would return his book.

Ex- She said to me, " What can i do for you?"

She asked me what she could do for me.

Ex- I said, " Who is going there?"

I asked who was going there.

Narration of imperative sentences

Special rules

(1) Main verb :-

Rule- (a) 'Said to' is changed into ordered, wished, prayed, suggested, requested, ……….

(b) Main verb - Infinitive ( to + v1 ) (c) Remove comma, inverted comma

Ex- The judge said, " call the first witness."

The judge ordered to call the first witness.

Ex- The doctor said to the patient, " Take complete bed rest."

The doctor suggested the patient to take complete bed rest.

Ex- The servant said, " Allow me leave."

The servant requested to allow him leave.

(2) Don't :-

Rule- (a) 'Said to' is changed into 'forbade'.

(b) Remove don't

(c) Main verb change into infinitive. (d) Remove comma, inverted comma

Ex- He said to me, " Don't go there."

He forbade me to go there.

Ex- I said, " Don't tease the old."

I forbade to tease the old.

(3) Please, Kindly -

Rule- ( a) 'Said' is changed into 'requested'

( b) Please, kindly - removed

Ex- He said, " Please help me."

He requested to help him.

Ex- I said, " kindly give me a pen."

I requested to give me a pen.

(4) Let :- When reported speech started with Let then -

Rule- (a) 'Said' is changed into ordered, wished, proposed, supposed, ………..

(b ) Comma, inverted comma changed into 'that'

(c) Let is changed into 'should', after reported subject.

Ex- The principal said, " Let every one come on time."

The principal ordered that everyone should come on time.

Ex- The Maths teacher said, " Let it be a triangle."

The Maths teacher supposed that it should be a triangle.

Narration of Optative sentences

Rule- (a) 'Said' is changed into blessed, wished, prayed, cursed, ……………

(b) Comma, inverted comma changed into 'that'

(c) May is changed into 'might', after reported subject.

Ex- The hermit said, " May god bless him !"

The hermit prayed that God might bless him.

Ex- My father said to me, " may you top in the exam !"

My father blessed me that i might top in the exam.

Ex- My friend said, " May you win the first prize !"

My friend wished that i might win the first prize.

Ex- His enemy said," May cholera split you !"

His enemy cursed that cholera might split him.