English _____ NARRATION

NARRATION: ASSERTIVE SENTENCES

Salman said to Saima, “I am mugging up for the examination now.”

Reporting Clause Reported Speech/Clause

Reporting Clause introduces the Reported Speech/Clause contains
Reported Speech and tells who the actual uttered or spoken words
are the speaker and receiver. of a speaker.

Salman said to Saima, “I am mugging up for the examination now.”

(Direct Speech)
Salman told Saima that he was mugging up for the examination then.
(Indirect Speech)

Steps to change Direct Speech to Indirect Speech:

1. Reporting Verb ‘say’ --------------- ‘tell’

(If Reporting Verb is followed by the personal object)
Examples:
She said to you, “The boss is late today.”
She told you that the boss was late that day.

She said, “The boss is late today.”

She said that the boss was late that day.

2. Omission of the Quotation marks ------------ ‘that’

Examples:
She said, “The boss is late today.”
She said that the boss was late that day.

3. Change of Pronoun:
The first Personal Pronouns (I, we) --- Subject’s person, number & gender.
The second Personal Pronoun (you) ------Object’s person, number & gender

The third Personal Pronouns -----------No change

(he, she, they)

Examples:
1. She said to me, “I am very busy.”
She told me that she was very busy.

2. She said to me, “You are looking happy today.”

She told me that I was looking happy that day.

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English _____ NARRATION
3. She said to me, “They are my neighbours.”
She told me that they were her neighbours
4. Change of Tense:
If the Reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense of Reported Speech is changed into
‘Corresponding Past’ accordingly.

Simple Present ------------- Simple Past

Present Continuous ----------- Past Continuous
Present Perfect ------------ Past Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous ------------ Past Perfect Continuous
Simple Past ------------ Past Perfect or Unchanged
Past Continuous ------------ Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect ------------ Unchanged
Past Perfect Continuous ------------ Unchanged
Shall ------------ should
Will ------------ would
Can ------------ could
May ------------ might
Must ________ had to

Words showing nearness of time or position in the Direct Speech are changed into those showing
distance in the Indirect Speech.

This -------------- that

These -------------- those
Thus -------------- so, in that way
Now -------------- then
Here -------------- there
Hence -------------- thence
Hither -------------- thither
Today -------------- that day, the same day
Tomorrow -------------- the next day
Yesterday -------------- the day before, the previous
day
Last night -------------- the previous night
Come -------------- go
Ago -------------- before

Examples:
1. Raheel said, “I want to apply for the advertised post.”
Raheel said that he wanted to apply for the advertised post.

2. The secretary said, “The president is addressing now.”

The secretary said that the president was addressing then.

3. Javed said, “My son has graduated from university of Karachi in economics.”
Javed said that his son had graduated from university of Karachi in economics.

4. Sara said, “It has been snowing for two days.”

Sara said that it had been snowing for two days.

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5. Ahsan said, “I crammed all important topics last night.”
Ahsan said that he crammed all important topics the previous night.
OR
Ahsan said that he had crammed all important topics the previous night.

6. He said, “It was drizzling yesterday.”

He said that it had been drizzling the previous day.

7. I said, “I had written a letter to him before Eid.”

I said that I had written a letter to him before Eid.

8. Johnson said, “I had been working in the company since 1990.”

Johnson said that he had been working in the company since 1990.

9. You said, “Saleem shall donate generously.”

You said that Saleem should donate generously.

10. He said, “People will censure the new policy.”

He said that people would censure the new policy.

11. They said, “We cannot be happy quite happy in this life.”
They said that they could not be happy quite happy in that life.

12. Areeb said, “I may change my career line in the future.”

Areeb said that he might change my career line in the future.

13. The teacher said to us, “You must write the essay by January.”
The teacher told us that we had to write the essay by January.

When Not to Change the Tense of The Reported Speech.

1. If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future tense, the tense of the Reported Clause is not
changed.

Hamza says, “My father is not at home.”

Hamza says that his father is not at home.

Amir will say, “I forgot to bring the book.”

Amir will say that he forgot to bring the book.

2. If the Reported Speech relates to some universal or habitual fact, its tense is not changed into
corresponding past.

He said, “The earth moves round the sun.”

He said that the earth moves round the sun.

He said, “God rules and governs all things.”

He said that God rules and governs all things.

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English _____ NARRATION
He reminded me, “When the cat is away, the mice play.”
He reminded me that when the cat is away, the mice play.

Exercise –1
Change the narration of the followings: -

1. Jamila said, “Brother, I am going.”

2. I said to him, “You are plucky indeed.”
3. Munir said, “My grandfather smokes occasionally.”
4. Nelson said to his Granny, “I have never seen fear anywhere here.”
5. The students said to me, “We will finish our course of study in a year’s time.”
6. The boy said to the girl, “I can hear you.”
7. He said to the stranger, “The Hindus burn their dead.”
8. The little girl remarked, “I shall always remember this day.”
9. The man said to the children, “I know you and your parents.”
10. He said, “My neighbour drinks but only now and then.”
11. The man cried out, “We are not foes, but friends.”
12. The teacher said, “Students, patience and perseverance overcome mountains.”
13. Ahad said, “I am very busy and so cannot accompany you to the station now.”
14. The teacher said to me, “He is still absent.”
15. The Major says, “It gives me great pleasure to be here this evening.”
16. The old man said, “Man is mortal.”
17. She said, “I will bring my friend to your house tomorrow.”
18. You will say to me, “I can not carry out your orders in the absence of my boss.”
19. “Too much familiarity breeds contempt,” said the grandfather.
20. “Honesty is the best policy,” said the master to his servant.

Exercise -2
Change the narration of the followings:-

1. The police said that the victim had suffered cuts and abrasions to the face.
2. The teacher said that diamonds have extreme resistance against abrasions.
3. The DIG said that they (police) were trying to assuage tension in the city.
4. Samreen said that she was upset because her parents had gone through acrimonious divorce.
5. The nazim told to journalists that steps had been taken to ameliorate the situation there in Karachi.
6. The MMA says that there is a growing antipathy towards the bill.
7. The tenant told the landlord that he could not augment the rent of the house that month.
8. She said that she finally had badgered him to go with her.
9. The poet said that he was beguiled by the valley’s beauty.
10. The captain said that Shoaib had committed the cardinal sin of censuring his teammates the day
before.

NARRATION: INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

She said to the boy, “Can you show me the way to the nearest inn?”
(Yes/No Question)
She asked the boy if he could show her the way to the nearest inn.

She said to them, “What were you doing at home yesterday?”

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English _____ NARRATION
(Information Question)
She enquired of them what they were doing at home the day before.

Steps to change Direct Speech to Indirect Speech:

1. Reporting Verb ‘say’ --------------- ‘ask’, ‘enquire of ’, ‘wonder’ ‘demand of ’,

‘query’
Examples:
She said to you, “Is the boss late today?”
She asked you if the boss was late that day.

I said to him, “Who are you?”

I enquired of him who he was.

He said to me, “Why did you strike him?”

He demanded of me why I had struck him.

2. Omission of the Quotation marks -------- Insertion of Conjunction

(If the Reported Speech contains --------- ‘if or whether’
(Yes/NO Question)

(If the Reported Speech contains

(Information Question) ----------- Same Question word

what, why, how, where, who, how

long, when, whose which etc.
Examples:
She said to you, “Is the boss late today?”
She asked you if the boss was late that day.
OR
She asked you whether the boss was late that day.

I said to him, “Who are you?”

I enquired of him who he was.

He said to me, “Why did you strike him?”

He demanded of me why I had struck him.

3. Change of Pronoun:
The first Personal Pronouns (I, we) ------------- Subject’s person, number & gender.
The second Personal Pronoun (you) ------------ Object’s person, number & gender
The third Personal Pronouns ------------ No change
(he, she, they)

Examples:
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English _____ NARRATION
1. She said to me, “Am I not looking busy?”
She asked me if she was not looking busy.

2. She said to me, “Are you looking happy today?”

She asked me if I was looking happy that day.

3. She said to me, “Are they my neighbours?”

She asked me if they were her neighbours.

4. Change of Tense:

The tense of Reported Speech will be changed accordingly as written for Assertive sentences’
narration.

5. Change of Interrogative form into Assertive form:

Interrogative form will be changed into assertive form.

Helping Verb + Subject + verb + O/C/A? --------- Subject + Helping Verb + verb + O/C/A.

Examples:
1. Are you looking happy today?
I was looking happy that day.

2. Why did you strike him?

Why I had struck him.
Exercise-3
Change the narration of the followings: -

1. I said to him, “Who are you?”

2. Ali said to me, “Why do you not go home?”
3. The teacher said, “Akif, what are you doing?”
4. The teacher said, “When will your father come to see me?”
5. He said to his father, “How do you make the clock go?”
6. The teacher said to the boy, “Have you done your home work?”
7. Mr Jones said, “Is Mr Smith at home?”
8. The mother said to the girl, “Do you know where Salim is?”
9. Yasir said to me, “Can you spare some money for me?”
10. “Is school closing tomorrow on the account of Basant?” said the student.
11. “Could you ever afford to displease your parents?” said I to my friend.

NARRATION: IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

She said to the boy, “Please, show me the way to the nearest inn.” (Request)
She requested the boy to show her the way to the nearest inn.
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English _____ NARRATION

She said to them, “Get lost.” (Order)

She ordered them to get lost.

He said to me, “Obey your parents.” (Advice)

He advised me to obey my parents.

Steps to change Direct Speech to Indirect Speech:

1. Reporting Verb ‘say’ is changed into sense given by reported speech as;

Words of command --------- command, order, require, charge, bid, tell etc.

Words of request ------- request, beg, implore, ask, beseech, desire, solicit etc.

Words of advice --------- advise, suggest, urge, exhort, persuade, incite etc.

Forbid, prohibit (Negative).

Examples:
She said, “Kamran, sit still.”
She told Kamran to sit still.

Mother said to her husband, “Forgive the boy’s first mistake.”

Mother implored her husband to forgive the boy’s first mistake.

The gentleman said to his servant, “Don’t stay here.”

The gentleman ordered his servant not to stay there.

“Please, wait for a few minutes,” said the receptionist to me.

The receptionist asked me to wait for a few minutes.

2. Removal of the Quotation marks ------------ VO ------ Vto

Examples:
She said, “Kamran, sit still.”
She told Kamran to sit still.

Mother said to her husband, “Forgive the boy’s first mistake.”

Mother implored her husband to forgive the boy’s first mistake.

The gentleman said to his servant, “Don’t stay here.”

The gentleman prohibited his servant to stay there.

“Please, wait for a few minutes,” said the receptionist to me.

The receptionist asked me to wait for a few minutes.

3. Change of Pronoun:
The first Personal Pronouns (I, we) ------------ Subject’s person, number & gender
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English _____ NARRATION
The second Personal Pronoun (you) ---------- Object’s person, number & gender
The third Personal Pronouns ------------ No change.
(he, she, they)

Examples:
He said, “Saima, look at me.”
He asked Saima to look at him.

Mother said to her husband, “Forgive the boy his first mistake.”
Mother implored her husband to forgive the boy his first mistake.

The gentleman said to his servant, “Don’t stand here hanging your face.”
The gentleman ordered his servant not to stand there hanging his (servant) face.

“Please, submit me your CV,” said the receptionist to me.

The receptionist asked me to submit her my CV.

Exercise – 4
Change the narration of the followings:
1. Christ said, “Don’t judge others, lest you yourself should be judged.”
2. I said to him, “Let us go for a walk.”
3. The Headmistress said to the peon, “Let the boy come in.”
4. Noreen said to her classmate, “Let me go on with my work, please.”
5. “Come in, don’t stand at the door,” said the landlady to her servant.
6. The guard said to me, “Please, remove this car.”
7. He said. “Please, don’t wear those boots in the house.”
8. “Don’t forget to ring me,” said Tauseef to his friend.
9. The boss said, “Don’t put this project on the back burner this time.”
10. “Don’t turn a deaf ear to your teachers’ advices,” said the grandmother to her grandson.
11. The elder brother said to younger brother, “Don’t turn the room upside down because the
mother will be very angry.”
12. “Come out of the toilet when coast is clear because boys are still hovering around for you,”
said the boy to his friend.

NARRATION: EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES

She said to the boy, “Hurrah! My friend has come.” (Interjection Category)
She exclaimed with delight that his fried had come.

Nadia said, “What a splendid feast it is!” (What/How Category)

Nadia remarked that it a very splendid feast.

He said, “May God reward this act of yours!” (May Category)

He prayed that God might reward that kind of reward of mine.

Steps to change Direct Speech to Indirect Speech:

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English _____ NARRATION
1. Reporting Verb ‘say’ is changed into:
a. Interjection Category ----------- wish, cry out, declare, exclaim, pray, confess, bless.
With (regret, fear, sorrow, joy, delight)
b. What/How Category ----------- remark, exclaim etc.
c. May Category ----------- wish, pray etc.
Examples:
He said, “Ah me! My only child is dead.”
He exclaimed with sorrow that his only child was dead.

She said, “How cold today it is!”

She remarked that it was a very cold day.

The old man said, “May Lord prosper you!”

The old man wished that God might prosper me.

2. Omission of the Quotation marks ------------ Insertion of Conjunction ‘that’

He said, “Ah me! My only child is dead.”
He exclaimed with sorrow that his only child was dead.

3. Change of Pronoun:
The first Personal Pronouns (I, we) ------Subject’s person, number & gender
The second Personal Pronoun (you) -------Object’s person, number & gender

The third Personal Pronouns ------------No change

(he, she, they)

Examples:
4. Change of Tense:

The tense of Reported Speech will be changed accordingly as written for Assertive sentences’
narration.

5. Change of Exclamatory form into Assertive form:

Exclamatory form will be changed into assertive form.

What/How Category

What/How+ Subject + O/C+ verb! ----------------------- Subject + verb + O/C.

(May Category)

May+ Subject + verb + O/C/A! -------------------------- Subject + May/Might + verb + O/C/A.

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English _____ NARRATION

Exercise – 5
Change the narration of the following sentences.
1. Abid said, “May God reward this act of yours!”
2. Asma said, “Alas! How foolish I have been.”
3. The teacher said to Anum Iqbal, “Bravo! You have done well.”
4. Warda said, “May you live long!”
5. Zahra said, “Hurrah! My friend has come.”
6. The officer said, “Hang it all! Can you not do it more neatly?”
7. He said to her, “May you succeed in your aim!”
8. “What a great idea it is!” said Talha.
9. He said, “O for a hearth and home under the sun!”
10. “How cold today it is!” said Amjad.

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