NARRATION (Assertive)

The art of reporting the words of a speaker is called Narration.

There are two main ways of reporting the words of a speaker.

1. Direct Speech

2. Indirect Speech

Direct Speech
In this form, the actual words of the speaker are put in quotes “”.
Ex:-

1. Rama said,” I am very busy now.”

2. In the above example the Speaker i.e
3. Rama is known as Reporter,
4. said is known as Reporting verb and
5. “I am very busy now.” is known as Reported Speech.

Indirect Speech
In this form, the actual words of the speaker are transformed and said/written in a
simple manner.

Ex:-

 Rama said that he was very busy then.

Basic rules to convert a Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

There are five basic things that have to be changed while converting a Direct
speech to an Indirect speech.

1. To change the reporting verb according to the reported speech.

2. To remove the inverted comma’s from the direct speech and replace them with
an appropriate conjunction.
3. To change the pronoun of reported speech accordingly.
4. Change the adverbs of the Direct Speech.

Active - Rajiv said to me,” I shall go to the picture today”

Passive - Rajiv told me that he would go to the picture that day.

In the above example

Reporting verb said to is changed into told.

Inverted Commas are replaced by the conjunction that
Reported speech’s pronoun I is changed into He.
Reported speech’s verb shall go is changed into would go.
As another change today is changed with the word that day.

Rules of change of Pronouns

Nominative Possessive Objective Reflexive

I My Me Myself

We Our Us Ourselves

You Yours You Yourself

He His Him Himself

She Her Her Herself

They Their Them Themselves

Pronouns are changed according to a rule designated as SON where

 S stands for Subject

 O stands for Object
 N stands for No change.

1. First person changes to subject of Reporting Verb

2. Second person changes to Object of Reporting Verb
3. There is no change if it is a Third person.

Rule No 1.
1st Person pronoun of Reported speech is changed according to the Subject of
Reporting verb.

Direct: She says, “I am in tenth class.”

Indirect: She says that she is in tenth class.

Direct: I say, “I am an honest man.”

Indirect: I say that I am an honest man.

Rule No 2.
2nd Person pronoun of Reported speech is changed according to Object of Reporting
verb.

Direct: She says to me, “you have done your work”

Indirect: She tells me that I have done my work.
Direct: She says to her, “You have done your work”
Indirect: She tells her that she has done her work.

Direct: I say to them, “you have done your work.”

Indirect: I tell them that they have done their work.

Rule No 3.
3rd Person Pronoun of Reported speech is not changed.

Direct: He says, “He does not work hard”

Indirect: He says that he does not work hard.

Direct: Everybody says, “They have spoken the truth”

Indirect: Everybody says that they have spoken the truth.

Rules of change of verb or Tense

Rule No.1

If reporting verb is given in Present or Future tense then there will be no change in
the verb or tense of Reported speech

Direct: The teacher says, “Gayatri performs on the stage”

Indirect: The teacher says that Gayatri performs on the stage.

Direct: The teacher is saying, “Gayatri performs on the stage”

Indirect: The teacher is saying that Gayatri performs on the stage.

Direct: The teacher will say, “Gayatri is performing on the stage”

Indirect: The teacher will say that Gayatri is performing on the stage.

Rule No.2

If reporting verb is given in Past tense then the tense of the verb of Reported Speech
will change into corresponding Past tense.

Direct: The teacher said, “I am suffering from fever.”

Indirect: The teacher said that she was suffering from fever.

Direct: She said to me, “I took the breakfast in the morning”.

Indirect: She told me that she had taken the breakfast in the morning.
Corresponding Changes to past form in an indirect speech from the verb in Reported
speech.

1. Simple present changes to Simple Past

2. Present Continuous changes to Past Continuous
3. Present Perfect changes to Past Perfect
4. Present Perfect Continuous changes to Past Perfect Continuous
5. Simple Past changes to Past Perfect
6. Past Continuous changes to Past Perfect Continuous
7. In Future Tense will/Shall changes to would
8. Can changes to Could
9. May changes to Might

Some of the exceptional cases of Rule 2

Exception 1:

If Reporting speech has Universal Truth or Habitual fact then there is no change in
the Tense.

Direct: Our teacher said, “The earth is round”

Indirect: Our teacher said that the earth is round.( Universal Truth)

Direct: Rajiv said to me, “He plays with right hand”

Indirect: Rajiv told me that he plays with the right hand.(Habitual fact)

Exception 2:
If reporting speech has Past Historical Fact then there is no change in the Tense.

Direct: Our teacher said, “Asoka left war after the conquest of Kalinga”.
Indirect: Our teacher said that Asoka left war after the conquest of Kalinga.

Exception 3:
If Reporting speech has two actions to be happening at a time when there is no
change in the Tense.

Direct: She said “My wife was making lunch when I was studying”
Indirect: She said that her wife was making lunch when she was studying.

Exception 4:
If Reporting speech has some Imagined Condition then there is no change in the
Tense.
Direct: She said, “If I were rich, I would help him.”
Indirect: She said that if she were rich she would help her.

Exception 5:
If Reporting speech contains had 3rd form, to-infinitive and would, could, should,
must, might, ought to etc. then there is no change in the Tense.

Direct: She said to me, “You should obey your elders.”

Indirect: She told me that I should obey my elders.

Some other small changes that used to take place while changing Direct Speech to
Indirect Speech.

Changes
Here There
to

Changes
Now Then
to

Changes
This That
to

Changes
These Those
to

Changes
Today That day
to

Changes
To-night That night
to

Changes The previous

Yesterday
to day

Changes The previous

Last night
to night

Changes The previous

Last week
to week

Changes
Tomorrow The next day
to

Next Changes The following

Week to week
 Changes
Ago Before
to

Changes
Thus so
to

Changes
Hence Thence
to

Changes
Hither Thither
to

Changes
Come Go
to

Note:-An in indirect speech we talk about such incidents that are after the time of
reporting and had happened away from the place of reporting therefore the words
that show nearness has to be replaced by the words that show distance.

Some exception in these changes

1.Come is changed to go if there is some word given after come that shows
nearness.

2. If this, here and now points to such a thing, place or time that is in front of the
speaker then no change takes place in Indirect Narration.

Rules for Change in Narration of different type of sentences

Type No 1. Assertive Sentences

Rule 1

 If there is no object after Reporting verb there it should not be changed.

 If there is some object after Reporting verb then say is changed
to tell, says to tells and said to told.
 According to the context said to can be replaced by replied, informed, stated,
added, remarked, asserted, assured, pleaded, reminded, reported or complained
etc.

Rule 2

 Put conjunction that in place of “ ”.

 Change the pronouns of the Reported speech as enlisted earlier.

Examples showing some Assertive Sentences Changed into Indirect form