Transforming Speech: A Comprehensive Guide to Direct and Indirect Narration

Narration change, also known as direct and indirect speech, involves converting a speaker’s exact words (Direct Speech) into reported form (Indirect Speech). This lesson will cover the rules for changing different types of sentences: Assertive, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory, and Optative sentences.

1. Assertive Sentences

Assertive sentences are simple statements that express facts, opinions, or feelings.

Rules:

1. Remove quotation marks.

2. Use the conjunction that to join the reporting verb and the reported speech.

3. Change the pronouns, verbs, and time expressions as needed.

4. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported speech must also change to the past tense.

Examples:

• Direct: She said, “I am happy.” Indirect: She said that she was happy.

• Direct: He said, “I will help you tomorrow.” Indirect: He said that he would help me the next day.

Exercise:

Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:

1. They said, “We love our school.”

2. She said, “I have finished my homework.”

3. He said, “The train arrives at 5 PM.”

4. The teacher said, “Knowledge is power.”

2. Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences ask questions. They can be of two types: Yes/No questions and Wh-questions.

Rules:

1. Remove quotation marks and question marks.

2. For Yes/No questions, use the conjunction if or whether.

3. For Wh-questions, retain the Wh-word.

4. Change the pronouns, verbs, and time expressions as needed.

5. Ensure the reported speech follows the statement format (not question format).

Examples:

• Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?” Indirect: He asked if I was coming.

• Direct: She asked, “Where do you live?” Indirect: She asked where I lived.

Exercise:

Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:

1. They asked, “Do you play football?”

2. She asked, “Why are you late?”

3. He asked, “Did you complete the project?”

4. The boy asked, “Who is your favorite teacher?”

3. Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences give commands, requests, or advice.

Rules:

1. Remove quotation marks.

2. Use to before the verb in the reported speech.

3. Use reporting verbs like ordered, requested, advised, or urged based on the context.

4. If the sentence is negative, use not to before the verb.

Examples:

• Direct: The teacher said, “Complete your homework.” Indirect: The teacher told us to complete our homework.

• Direct: She said, “Please help me.” Indirect: She requested me to help her.

• Direct: He said, “Don’t touch the painting.” Indirect: He warned us not to touch the painting.

Exercise:

Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:

1. She said, “Turn off the lights.”

2. He said, “Please lend me your book.”

3. The doctor said, “Take your medicine on time.”

4. The guide said, “Do not feed the animals.”

4. Exclamatory Sentences

Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions like joy, sorrow, or surprise.

Rules:

1. Remove quotation marks and exclamation marks.

2. Use words like exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow, or exclaimed with surprise to describe the emotion.

3. Change the sentence into a statement format.

4. Use the conjunction that if needed.

Examples:

• Direct: She said, “What a beautiful painting it is!” Indirect: She exclaimed with joy that it was a beautiful painting.

• Direct: He said, “Alas! I have lost my wallet.” Indirect: He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his wallet.

Exercise:

Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:

1. She said, “How wonderful the performance was!”

2. He said, “Oh no! I missed the bus.”

3. They said, “What an amazing day it is!”

4. The boy said, “Hurrah! We won the match.”

5. Optative Sentences

Optative sentences express wishes, prayers, or blessings.

Rules:

1. Remove quotation marks.

2. Use reporting verbs like wished, prayed, or blessed.

3. Use the conjunction that to connect the sentences.

4. Change the pronouns and verb forms as needed.

Examples:

• Direct: He said, “May you live long!” Indirect: He wished that I might live long.

• Direct: She said, “May God bless you!” Indirect: She prayed that God might bless me.

Exercise:

Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:

1. They said, “May you have a bright future!”

2. She said, “May all your dreams come true!”

3. He said, “May you succeed in your exams!”

4. The elder said, “God bless you, my child.”

Change of Verb in Reported Speech

When changing from direct to indirect speech, the verb in the reported speech often changes to match the tense of the reporting verb.

Rules for Verb Changes:

1. If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the verb in the reported speech remains unchanged.

   • Example: She says, “I am busy.” → She says that she is busy.

2. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported speech usually shifts to a past tense.

   • Present simple → Past simple

     • Direct: He said, “I play cricket.” Indirect: He said that he played cricket.

   • Present continuous → Past continuous

     • Direct: She said, “I am reading a book.” Indirect: She said that she was reading a book.

   • Present perfect → Past perfect

     • Direct: They said, “We have finished the work.” Indirect: They said that they had finished the work.

   • Past simple → Past perfect

     • Direct: He said, “I ate lunch.” Indirect: He said that he had eaten lunch.

   • Past continuous → Past perfect continuous

     • Direct: She said, “I was writing a letter.” Indirect: She said that she had been writing a letter.

3. Modals also change:

   • Will → Would

   • Can → Could

   • Shall → Should

   • May → Might

Examples:

• Direct: He said, “I will call you tomorrow.” Indirect: He said that he would call me the next day.

• Direct: She said, “I can solve this problem.” Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.

Exceptions:

1. Universal truths and habitual actions do not change tense.

   • Direct: The teacher said, “The earth revolves around the sun.” Indirect: The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.

2. If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the verb in the reported speech does not change.

   • Direct: She says, “I am tired.” Indirect: She says that she is tired.

Exercise:

Change the verbs appropriately while converting these sentences into indirect speech:

1. He said, “I am watching a movie.”

2. She said, “We have completed the project.”

3. They said, “We were playing football.”

4. The boy said, “I will help you with your homework.”

   
   

Exercise: Narration with Reporting Verb in Present Tense

In these sentences, the reporting verb is in the present tense. Convert the sentences into indirect speech:

1. She says, “I am going to the market.”

2. He says, “We have won the match.”

3. They say, “We will visit you next week.”

4. The teacher says, “The sun rises in the east.”

5. John says, “I can solve this puzzle.”

6. The doctor says, “You need to take this medicine regularly.”

7. She says, “I have been waiting for you for an hour.”

8. He says, “We are preparing for the competition.”

9. The coach says, “Practice makes a man perfect.”

10. They say, “We are planning a trip to the mountains.”