NARRATION / DIRECT & INDIRECT SPEECH

1. What is narration?

Narration means reporting someone’s words.
There are two ways to report words:

1. Direct Speech – we use the exact words of the speaker inside quotation marks.
• Example: Riya said, “I am tired.”
2. Indirect Speech – we report the meaning of the words, not the exact words.
• Example: Riya said that she was tired.

2. Parts of a Direct Speech Sentence

Every direct speech sentence has two parts:

(a) Reporting Verb (RV)

The verb used to introduce the quote
said, told, asked, replied, shouted, said to, etc.

(b) Reported Speech (RS)

The words inside quotation marks.

Example:
Riya said (RV), “I am tired.” (RS)

3. GENERAL RULES FOR CHANGING DIRECT TO INDIRECT

Rule 1: Remove quotation marks

Use that for statements, if/whether for yes/no questions, and no connector for imperatives.

Rule 2: Change the Pronouns

Pronouns change according to:
1st person – changes according to the subject
2nd person – changes according to the object
3rd person – remains unchanged

Example:
He said, “I love you.”
→ He said that he loved her.

Rule 3: Change of Tense

This happens only when the reporting verb is in past tense.

DIRECT → INDIRECT

Direct	Indirect
Simple Present	Simple Past
Present Continuous	Past Continuous
Present Perfect	Past Perfect
Simple Past	Past Perfect
Past Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous
Will/Shall	Would/Should
Can	Could
May	Might

Examples

1. He said, “I am happy.”
   → He said that he was happy.
2. She said, “I have finished the work.”
   → She said that she had finished the work.
3. They said, “We will come.”
   → They said that they would come.

Rule 4: Change of Time & Place Words

Direct	Indirect
now	then
today	that day
yesterday	the previous day
tomorrow	the next day
here	there
this	that
these	those
last night	the previous night
next week	the following week

Example:

He said, “I will go tomorrow.”
→ He said that he would go the next day.

4. CHANGING DIFFERENT TYPES OF SENTENCES

A. STATEMENTS (Assertive sentences)

Rules

1. Use that
2. Change pronouns, tense, time/place

Examples

1. She said, “I like coffee.”
   → She said that she liked coffee.
2. Rohan said, “We are studying now.”
   → Rohan said that they were studying then.

B. QUESTIONS

Type 1: Yes/No Questions

Use 'if' or 'whether'.

Example:
He said, “Do you like tea?”
→ He asked if I liked tea.

Type 2: WH-Questions

(what, why, when, where, how, which, whom, whose)

Rule:
Keep the WH-word. No that.

Example:
She said, “Where do you live?”
→ She asked where I lived.

C. IMPERATIVES (Order, Request, Advice)

Rules

1. Remove quotes
2. Use to + verb
3. Use a proper reporting verb
• order/command
• request/beg/urge
• advise/suggest/warn

Examples

1. He said to me, “Sit down.”
   → He ordered me to sit down.
2. She said to him, “Please help me.”
   → She requested him to help her.
3. The doctor said to me, “Take your medicines.”
   → The doctor advised me to take my medicines.

D. NEGATIVE IMPERATIVES

Use 'not to' + verb

Example:
He said to me, “Don’t smoke.”
→ He warned me not to smoke.

E. EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES

Remove interjections (oh, wow, alas, hurrah)

Use verbs like exclaimed with joy, sorrow, surprise, etc.

Examples

1. He said, “Hurrah! We won.”
   → He exclaimed with joy that they had won.
2. She said, “Alas! My cat is dead.”
   → She exclaimed with sorrow that her cat was dead.

F. OPTATIVE SENTENCES

(Wishes, prayers, blessings, curses)

Use verbs like:
wished, prayed, blessed, cursed

Examples:

1. He said, “May you succeed.”
   → He wished that I might succeed.
2. She said, “May God bless you.”
   → She prayed that God might bless me.

5. SPECIAL CASES & EXCEPTIONS

Exception 1: NO tense change

If the reporting verb is in the present or future, do not change the tense.

Example:
He says, “I am tired.”
→ He says that he is tired.

Exception 2: Universal truths, facts, proverbs

Tense does not change.

Example:
The teacher said, “The Earth moves around the Sun.”
→ The teacher said that the Earth moves around the Sun.

Exception 3: If the speaker and listener are the same

Pronouns stay according to meaning.

Exception 4: The Reporting verb suggests a command.

Change “said to” into:
ordered, requested, commanded, suggested, advised, urged, reminded, warned

6. HOW TO CONVERT INDIRECT TO DIRECT SPEECH (Reverse Rules)

1. Add quotation marks
2. Add proper punctuation
3. Change pronouns back
4. Change tense back
5. Restore time/place words
6. Use a suitable reporting verb

Example:
Indirect: He asked me to help him.
Direct: He said to me, “Please help me.”