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Narration

Chapter Significance: Narration is an important topic for competitive examinations. This topic is common in almost all examinations conducted by SSC. In WBCS also students can often see questions coming from this topic. However, if you are preparing for any government examination, you need to learn this chapter. This chapter will also improve the speaking ability.

For better understanding, students are requested to go through the following chapters-

Verbs, Clauses, Tenses

Introduction: 

In narration, we change the sentence from direct to indirect and vice-versa. Direct sentences are those sentences having quotations or while indirect questions are without an inverted comma. Let us understand with an example.

Before learning the rules for change of narration, we need to know the following terms-

# The Narrator- The narrator is the speaker of the sentence. In the above example, Rima was the narrator.

#  The Reporting verb- The verb which the narrator uses to express the quote is the reporting verb. In the above example, says is the reporting verb.

#  The Reported speech- The quote used by the speaker, is the reported speech. In the above example, “Ram is an honest person” is the reported speech.

We need to know the different types of sentences to discuss the change of narration.

Assertive Sentences

1. In the case of indirect speech, the inverted comma and the quote are removed. While removing ‘that’ is put to join the reported speech with the speech of the speaker.

2. In the case of universal truth, both the speaker as well as the verb in the reporting speech remain unchanged.
 

Example-

Hari says, “The Sun rises in the East” (direct) 
Hari says that the Sun rises in the east. (indirect)

3. In indirect speech, the first person in the reported speech changes as per the person of the speaker.
 

Example-

You said, “I was reading” (direct)
You said that you were reading. (indirect)

Sonal said, “ We will see you” (direct)
Sonal said that they would see him. (indirect)

Note: In the following cases ‘we’ in the reported speech does not change in the indirect speech-

‘it’ is used in place of ‘we’ in the indirect speech when the speaker is any organization or purpose is newspaper.
 

The NGO said, “We will not take the liability”

The NGO said that it would not take any liability. (indirect)

# In a general sense.
Example-

The speaker said, “We need mental strength for survival” (direct)
The speaker said that we need mental strength for survival. (indirect)

# In the subject ‘me’ is used as a subject.
Example-

My father told me, “We need to stay united”
My father told me that we need to stay united.

1. In indirect speech, the second person in the reported speech changes according to the object of the reporting verb.
 

Example-

I told Raja, “You were late” (direct)
I told Raja that he was late. (indirect)
Here the object of the reporting verb is Raja and therefore ‘he’ is used in the indirect speech as Raja is a third person.

2. In indirect speech, the third person in the reported speech remains the same.
 

Example-

I told Abhi, “He did it well”
I told Abhi that he had done it well.

3. If the reporting verb is written in the past tense, then the reported verb changes as under-

For Present Tense:

For Past Tense:

In the case of Future Tense, Shall/ Will changes into Should/Would.

Example- 

Ram said, “My mother is working”. (direct)
Ram said that his mother was working. (indirect)

Tina said, “I have completed the assignment”. (direct)
Tina said that she had completed the assignment. (indirect)

He said, “I finished the book”. (direct)
He said that he had finished the book. (indirect)

Kuhu told, “He will come.” (direct)

Kuhu told that he would come. (indirect)

Note: Simple Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense remain unchanged in the following cases-

# Time clause – No change in Simple past tense and Past continuous tense
 

Example-

Dev told me, “When I was having my dinner, Rani was watching the movie”.  (direct)
Dev told me that when he was having my dinner, Rani was watching the movie. (indirect)

Bipasha said, “When I entered the house, he was busy.” (direct)
Bipasha said that when She entered the house, he was busy. (indirect)

# In case of historical events, Simple Past Tense remains unchanged.
 

Example-

My grandfather said, “India got freedom in 1947”. (direct)
My grandfather said that India got freedom in 1947. (indirect)

# Simple Past Tense remains unchanged when it denotes two actions taking place at the same time.
 

Example-

Ruby said, “I called and he picked up”. (direct)
Ruby said that she called and he picked up. (indirect)

Note: ‘Should’ will be used in place of ‘Will’ if it denotes any request or advice of the speaker.

Example- 

She told, “Will I go there?” (direct- here the speaker is asking for an advice)

She asked if she should go there. (indirect)

Change of Time and Place:

Example- 

She said, “I will come today”. (direct)
She said that she would come that day. (indirect)

He said, “I visited the bank yesterday”. (direct)

He said that he had visited the bank the previous day. (indirect)

Change of Modals:

Example- 

He said, “I may call you”. (direct)

He said that he might call him. (indirect)

She said, “We should go”. (direct)

She said that we should go. (indirect)

Exceptions:

# “Must” used in the sense of order will be changed as follows-
She said, “You must shut the door”. (direct- here it is a case of order, the speaker is ordering or commanding)
She ordered him to shut the door.

#  “could” used in the sense of consent will be changed as follows-
My mother said, “We could not wear jeans in our young age”. (direct- here it is a case of permission)
My mother said that they were not allowed to wear jeans in their young age.

Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences are of two types-

# Wh-questions- questions starting with wh-words like what, where, who, which, etc.

Example- Priya told, “Who gave you this?”

# Yes-No questions- Questions which can be answered with yes or no.

Example- Neha said, “Are you free now?”

# In case of interrogative questions, the reporting verb in the indirect speech changes into the following-
Asked
Inquired of
Demanded
Wanted to know
Wondered 

Example- 

She told me, “Have you reached home?” (direct)

She asked me if I had reached home. (indirect)

# In place of an inverted comma, 

a) The wh-questions remain the same.

b) The Yes-No questions have if or whether

Example- 

She said, “When did you come?” (direct)

She asked me when I had come. (indirect)

He told, “Are you busy?” (direct)

He asked me if I was busy. (indirect)

#  Rule 2 will be applicable as it is in case of reported speech having a clause with wh-words with the connector “that” preceded by the wh-words.

Example- 

My friend told, “When will this pandemic go is not known.”

My friend told me that when would this pandemic go was not known.

Disha told, “Who will score the highest in the class can not be ascertained now.” (direct)

Disha wondered that who would score the highest in the class could not be ascertained then. (indirect)

#  Rule – 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of assertive sentences remain the same i.e. the rules regarding the change of persons, tense, and time and place are the same as the rules of assertive sentences.

Optative Sentences

1. The reporting verb is changed into the following-

Wish

Pray 

Bless

(depending on the mood of the sentence)

Example- 

My grandmother said, “May you live long.” (direct)

My grandmother prayed that I might live long. (indirect)

The coach said, “May you get success.” (direct)

The coach wished that I might get success. (indirect)

2. In place of an inverted comma, ‘that’ is used.

Example- 

The friend said, “May you have a good day.” (direct)

The friend wished that I might have a good day. (indirect)

3. Rule – 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of assertive sentences remain the same i.e. the rules regarding the change of persons, tense, and time and place are the same as the rules of assertive sentences.

Exclamatory Sentences

1. The reporting verb is changed into the following-

Exclaim

Exclaim in/with joy

Exclaim in grief

Exclaim in/with sorrow

Cry out in sorrow

Greeted/wished

Exclaim with surprise etc. (depending on the mood of the sentence)

Example- 

Mohan said, “Alas! We lost the match.” (direct)

Mohan exclaimed in grief that they had lost the match. (indirect)

[Here the speaker is expressing sorrow/grief and that is why the reporting verb is exclaimed in grief]

 Ravi told, “Hurray! I won.” (direct)

 Ravi exclaimed in joy that he had won. (indirect)

[Here the speaker is expressing joy/happiness and that is why the reporting verb is exclaimed in joy]

2. In place of an inverted comma, ‘that’ is used.

Example- 

Ravi told, “Hurray! I won.” (direct)

Ravi exclaimed in the joy that he had won. (indirect)

3. Interjections like Alas, Hurray, etc. are removed in the indirect speech.

Example- 

Mohan said, “Alas! We lost the match.” (direct)

Mohan exclaimed in grief that they had lost the match. (indirect)

Rule – 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of assertive sentences remain the same i.e. the rules regarding the change of persons, tense, and time and place are the same as the rules of assertive sentences.

Imperative Sentences

1. The reporting verb is changed into the following verbs-

Order

Command

Request

Advise

Beg 

Suggest 

Assure

Ask

Forbid

Propose, etc. (depending on the mood of the sentence)

Example- 

The teacher said, “Close the door.” (direct)

The teacher commanded/ordered me to close the door. (indirect)
[Here the speaker is ordering and that is why the reporting verb is command/order]

My brother said, “Please pass the salt.” (direct)

My brother requested me to pass the salt. (indirect)
[Here the speaker is requesting and that is why the reporting verb is request]

2. In place of an inverted comma, ‘to’ for positive sentences and ‘not to’ for negative sentences will be used.

Example- 

Negative 

My sister said, “Do not stay out for long.” (direct)

My sister advised not to stay out for long. (indirect)                       

Positive 

 Mahesh told, “Keep quiet.” (direct)

 Mahesh ordered to keep quiet. (indirect)                                             

3. Rule – 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of assertive sentences remain the same i.e. the rules regarding the change of persons, tense, and time and place are the same as the rules of assertive sentences.

Use of ‘Let’-

If the reported speech begins with ‘let’, the following rules will be kept in mind while changing the narration into an indirect speech.

1. The reporting verb is changed into the following verbs-

Order

Propose

Suggest

Request

Wish

(depending on the mood of the sentence)

Example- 

My sister said, “Let’s go to Delhi for vacation.” (direct)

My sister proposed/suggested that we should go to Delhi for vacation. (indirect)

[Here the speaker is suggesting/proposing and that is why the reporting verb is proposed/suggested]

My little brother said, “Let me play please.” (direct)

My little brother requested me that he might be allowed to play. (indirect)

[Here the speaker is requesting and that is why the reporting verb is requested]

2. In place of an inverted comma, ‘that’ is used.

(refer to the above examples)

3. In place of ‘Let’,

 ‘should’ (for proposals and suggestions)

‘might’ / ‘might be allowed to’ (for request and wish) are used.

Example- 

My sister said, “Let’s go to Delhi for vacation.” (direct)

My sister proposed/suggested that we should go to Delhi for vacation. (indirect)

My little brother said, “Let me play please.” (direct)

My little brother requested me that he might be allowed to play. (indirect)

Exercise: Change the narration.

1. The doctor said, “Well, what can I do for you?”   SSC CGL Tier I -2017

a) The doctor wanted to know what he could do for her.  

(refer to the rules of Interrogative Sentences)

b) The doctor said that he couldn’t do anything for her.

c) The doctor asked what he couldn’t do for her.

d) The doctor wondered what he could do for her.

2. Namita said, “I will see you tomorrow.”

a) Namita said that she will see you tomorrow.

b) Namita said that she would see me on the next day.   

(refer to the rules of Assertive Sentences)

c) Namita told that she will see me on the next day.

d) Namita told that She will have been seen me on the next day.

3. Rina said, “What a lovely dress.”

a) Rina said that it was a lovely dress.

b) Rina exclaimed that it is a lovely dress.

c) Rina exclaimed in joy, what a lovely dress it was.

d) Rina exclaimed that it was a lovely dress.     

(refer to the rules of Exclamatory Sentences)

4. Mother said, “Will you tell me what it means, Pritam?” SSC CGL Tier I -2017

a) Mother asked Pritam if he will tell her what it meant.

b) Mother asked Pritam that he would tell her what it meant.

c) Mother asked Pritam if he would tell her what it meant. 

(refer to the rules of Interrogative Sentences)

d) Mother asked Pritam that he will tell her what it meant.

5. She said, “Let us wait for the seat.”   SSC CHSL Tier I -2018

a) She proposed that they should wait for the seat.    

(refer to the rules of sentences with ‘let’)

b) She proposed that they could wait for the seat.

c) She proposed to wait for the seat.

d) She proposed let us wait for seat.

6. Kushal said, “Do not make haste.”

a) Kushal said not to make haste.

b) Kushal advised that not to make haste.

c) Kushal advised me not to make haste.    

(refer to the rules of Imperative Sentences)

d) Kushal requested me not to make haste.

7. She said, “May the happiness prevail in your life.”

a) She prayed that happiness may prevail in my life.

b) She prayed may happiness prevail in your life.

c) She blessed that happiness prevails in your life.

d)  She prayed that happiness might prevail in your life.   

(refer to the rules of Optative Sentences)

 8. “Have you seen the book?” Rayan asked.

a) You have seen the book Rayan asked.

b) Rayan asked had you seen the book.

c) Rayan asked if I had seen the book.     

(refer to the rules of Interrogative Sentences)

d) Rayan asked if I have seen that book.

9. Liza said, “How many boys are there?”

a)  Liza asked how many boys were there.    

(refer to the rules of Interrogative Sentences)

b) Liza asked that how many boys were there.

c) Liza asked that how many boys are there.

d) Liza asked whether how many boys are there.

10. My father said “Prices are shooting up alarmingly.”   SSC CGL Tier I- 2017

a) My father says that prices shoot up alarmingly.

b) My father says that the price was shooting up alarmingly.

c) My father says that prices shot up alarmingly.

d) My father said that the prices were shooting up alarmingly.  

 (refer to the rules of Interrogative Sentences)