ENGLISH GRAMMAR

FOUNDATION COURSE
WEEK#1
 NARRATION?
Is an act of reporting one’s
statement
 THE
CONCEPT
The Swallow and the Crow had an
argument one day about their plumage.
Said the Swallow: "Just look at my bright
and soft feathers. Your black stiff quills
are not worth having. Why don't you
Direct dress better? Show a little pride!“
Speech "Your feathers may do very well in
spring," replied the Crow, "but—I don't
(Speakers‘ remember ever having seen you around
own words)
in winter, and that's when I enjoy
myself most."
Next
 Once in a dry weather, a thirsty crow
THE
CONCEPT found a pitcher with a little water in
it. But the pitcher was high and had a
narrow neck, and no matter how he
tried, the crow could not reach the
water. The poor crow felt as if he
must die of thirst.
Indirect Then an idea came to him. Picking up
Speech some small pebbles, he dropped
them into the pitcher one by one.
(Writer’s
With each pebble the water rose a
own
words) little higher until at last it was near
enough so he could drink.

Next
 DIRECT SPEECH
In narrative writing, when a writer
narrates other person’s actual words in
quotation marks, the written sentence or
sentences are said be the DIRECT
SPEECH.
Narration is easy to put in the Direct Speech. It only
requires the correct use of punctuation marks.
Next
 INDIRECT SPEECH
In narrative writing, when a writer
narrates other person’s words in his own
words without using quotation marks,
the written sentence or sentences are
said be the INDIRECT SPEECH.
It requires understanding of pronouns, tenses and
adverbs to put narration in the Indirect Speech.
Next
What to learn

Proceed
The purpose of this
topic is to learn:

HOW TO REPORT ONE’S

SPOKEN WORDS IN
REPORTER’S OWN
WAY.
Next
The man said, “I have got a job.”
REPORTER’S PART
SPEAKER’S PART
(REPORTING
(REPORTED SPEECH)
SPEECH)

CONVERSION

REPORTING
SPEECH

You may replace the VERB only

depending on the type of expression Example
in the REPORTED SPEECH.
Next
The man said, “I have got a job.”
The man said…
The man told…

The man said, “Do you have a job?”

The man asked…
The man interrogated…

The man said, “Please take your seat.”

The man requested…

Back
 The man said, “I have got a job.”
REPORTER’S PART
SPEAKER’S PART
(REPORTING
(REPORTED SPEECH)
SPEECH)
CONVERSION

REPORTED
SPEECH

Remove quotations and comma (put that/if/whether) Click

Change Pronouns as needed Click
Change Verb tense(s) if the Reporting Verb is in PAST Click
Change Adverbs of Place and Time if any Click
 The man said, “I have got a job.”
The man told that he had got a job.

The man said to me, “Can I talk to you?”

The man asked me if he could talk to me.

The man said to me, “Do you have a pen?”

The man asked me whether I had a pen.

Back
Rizwana said to her brother , “You can
use my pen.”

Rizwana told her brother that

he could use her pen any time.

Back
Rizwana said to her brother, “You can use my pen.”

If the Reporting Change the verb tense

Verb is in the PAST as shown below

Past
Present Change Past Change
Perfect
Back Tense Into Tense Into
Tense

Example Example Example

No change of tense when there is a universal fact

 Past Tense Present Tense

Ali said to his friends, “We are safe.”

Ali told his friends that they were safe.

Back
 Past Tense Past Tense

Ali said to his friends, “I forgot camera at

home.”

Ali told his friends that he

had forgotten his camera at home.

Back
 Past Tense Past Perfect
Tense

Ali said to his friends, “You all had done a great

job.”

Ali told his friends that they all

had done a great job.

Back
Ali said to me, “Wait here.” [place]
Ali said to me, “You may come now.” [time]
Ali said to me, “You may call me tomorrow.” [time]

 Ali told me to wait there.

 Ali told me to come then.
 Ali told me to call next day / following day.

Back
Narration
Exercise 1
 
Change the narration of the sentences given below.
1.He said to me, “you are an idiot”
2. Ali said, “I will come late in the evening”
3. Students say, “we want to go on picnic”
4. Father said, “I will beat you if you don’t listen”
5. Teacher said, “I will not come tomorrow”
6. My little brother said, “you are not a good singer”
7. Hawker said to me, “I will not serve you now”
8. Girls say, “we hate stalkers”
9. The boy said, “there is no hope for the country”
10. The girl said, “I just hate last minute changes”
 
Narration
Exercise 2
 1. He said, “I am feeling tired”.
2. The pale little child said, “My step mother scolds me all the
time.”
3.The thief said to the magistrate, “This is the first time I have
stolen anything.
4.The magistrate replied “That is why you have been caught so
easily”
5.He said to me “I am sorry I can’t help you.”
6.He wrote and said, “I am unable to come just now because I am ill
but I will certainly start as soon as I am well enough to do so.”
7.He reminded me, “When the cat is away, the mice play.”
8.He said to me, “I am glad to tell you that you are pardoned.”
9.“I had ten out of ten for my last essay,” he said to his brother
proudly.
10. The teacher said, “Earth is round and revolves round the Sun”.
 
Narration
Exercise 3
1.Khalid said, “Our friend arrived yesterday, but will go to-day.”
2. He said, “We cannot be quite happy in this life.”
3. He said, “I do not wish to see any of you; go away.”
4. “My son, you have to work very hard,” the mother said.
5. The teacher said to me, “The earth is round”.
6. I said to him, “You are my friend and I will look after you”.
7. She said to me, “I have to go to the dentist this morning.”
8. You said, ” I will stand by you through thick and thin.
9. She said, “Man is mortal”.
10. He said, “I must go now”.
11. Amina said to Najma, “I shall come to your party if Mummy
permits me to do so”.
12. He said, “I am sorry I cannot offer you even a cup of tea”.
13. The Prime Minister said, “The country has never been so
prosperous”.
14. I said to him, “If you hurry you will catch the train.”
Changing Narration of Interrogative sentences
Exercise 4
1.She said to him, “Where have you put my shoes?”
2. I said to him, “Do you sleep in the afternoon?”
3. He said to us, “Why are you all sitting about there doing
nothing?”
4. “Where are you coming from just now?” you said me.
5. Ahmad said to you, “Are you going to help me?”
6. You said to me, “Where is my son, young man?”
7. “Are you going to my friend today?” He said to me.
8. I said to her, “Do you know where he lives?”
9. He said to him, “What are you cutting that paper for?”
10. The clown asked the spectators, “What’s so funny.”
11. “Have you anything to say on behalf of the prisoner?” Said the
judge finally.
12. “What shall I do with the empty bottle?” She asked.
13. He said to me, “Am I very late?”
Changing Narration of Exclamatory sentences
Exercise 5

1. He said, “Hurrah! I have been elected!”

2. He said to me, “Alas! We have lost the match.”
3. He said, “Bravo! You have done well.”
4. He said “Hurrah! We have won”.
5. “What a good heart you have” cried his wife.
6. “What a stupid fellow you are”, he angrily remarked.
7. “What a beautiful piece of cloth!” she said.
 

 
Changing Narration of Imperative sentences
Exercise 6
1.  “I’m lost, “he said to the old man. “Will you please tell me
the way to the nearest village?”
2.“Please show me your camera, “She said to him. “It looks
very interesting one.”
3.I said to him, “Please, lend me your book.”
4.He said, “Let us go out for a walk.”
5.She said to her son, “Don’t wipe your dirty fingers on your
shirt.”
6.He said to his wife, “Wait till I come.”
7.The teacher said, “Javed, go home and bring your book.”
8.His mother said to him “Clean it yourself”.

 
Changing Narration of Imperative sentences
Exercise 5
9.  She said to her friends, “Thank you all for coming to my birth day
party”.
10.My father said to me, “Take the shirt back to the shop and change
it for one with a bigger collar”.
11.He said to me, “Don’t press me to go, as I hate picnics”.
12.Mohammad Ali said, “Catch me if you can”.
13.The teacher said to the students, ‘Don’t forget to bring your books
tomorrow.
14.“Call no man happy,” was the reply of the philosopher, “until he
has ended his life in a fitting manner.”
15.He said, “Daughter, take my glass and fetch me some water.”
16.“Hurry up,” he said to the servant, “Do not waste time”.
17.“Bring it to me when you have done it again, ” the teacher said to
him.
18.“Let me have your answer by next week, “he told the man