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Narration
Narration is the process of reporting what someone has said.
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Direct Speech: The exact words spoken by the speaker are quoted using quotation marks.
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Indirect Speech: The meaning of the speaker’s words is shown without quoting them exactly. Quotation marks are not used.
The speaker’s exact words are placed in quotation marks.
Example:
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Ram said, “I am going to school.”
The speaker’s words are reported, not quoted. Tense, pronouns, and time expressions are changed as needed.
Example:
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Ram said that he was going to school.
Key Components of Narration
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Reporting Verb | The verb used to report (e.g., said, asked, told) |
| Reported Speech | The actual words spoken by the person (e.g. "I am going to school." |
| Reporting Speech | The entire sentence (includes reporting verb + reported speech) |
Use of 'that'
Remove Quotation Marks and Use "That" (For Statements)
In statements, "that" is generally used to connect the reporting verb and reported speech.
Example:
He said, “I am tired.”
He said that he was tired.
Change the Tense of the Reported Speech
| Direct Speech Tense | Indirect Speech Tense |
|---|---|
| Present Simple | Past Simple |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Past Simple | Past Perfect |
| Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Past Perfect | No Change |
| Past Perfect Continuous | No Change |
| shall | should/would |
| will | would |
| must | had to |
| has to / have to | had to |
| can | could |
| may | might |
Note: “Would”, “could”, “might”, “should”, and “ought to” do not change.
Examples:
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She said, “I write a letter.”
She said that she wrote a letter. -
He said, “I am playing.”
He said that he was playing.
She said, “I would help you.”
She said that she would help me.
Note: If the reporting verb is in present or future tense, the tense of reported speech does not change.
Examples:
He says, “I eat apples.”
He says that he eats apples.
They will say, “We have finished our work.”
They will say that they have finished their work.
Rule for “Be” Verbs in Narration (Direct → Indirect Speech)
is, am, are, was, were, will be, shall be
Reporting Verb |
Direct Speech |
Indirect Speech |
|---|---|---|
Present / Future |
is / am / are |
is / am / are |
Past |
is / am |
was |
Past |
are |
were |
Past |
was / were |
had been |
Past |
will be / shall be |
would be |
Examples:
He says, "I am ready." [Present Tense]
He says that he is ready.He said, “I am ready.” [Past Tense]
He said that he was ready.
He will say, "I am ready." [Future Tense]
He will say that he is ready.
Change the Pronouns
Use the 3 Rules of Pronoun Change:
First Person → changes according to Subject of reporting verb
Second Person → changes according to Object of reporting verb
Third Person → remains unchanged
Example:
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He said, “I am happy.”
He said that he was happy. [I (1st Person) → he (Subject)] -
She said to me, “You are kind.”
She told me that I was kind. [You (2nd Person) → I (Object: me)]
He said, “He is happy.”
He said that he was happy. [He (3rd Person) → he (remains unchanged)]
Change Time and Place Words
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| yesterday | the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| this | that |
| here | there |
| these | those |
| hence | thence |
| last month | the previous month |
| thus | so |
| tonight | that night |
| last night | the previous night |
| next week | the following week |
| this day | that day |
| these days | those days |
| next year | the following year |
| ago | before |
Example:
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Direct: She said, “I met him yesterday.”
Indirect: She said that she had met him the previous day.
Change of Reporting Verb
Universal Truths
(Always true in all places)
Do not change the tense of the reported speech (verb remains in present tense), even if the reporting verb is in the past tense.
Examples:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| The teacher said, “The sun rises in the east.” | The teacher said that the sun rises in the east. |
| He said, “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.” | He said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. |
Habitual Facts
(Daily routines, repeated truths)
Do not change the tense of the reported speech (keep in present tense).
Examples:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| She said, “I go for a walk every morning.” | She said that she goes for a walk every morning. |
| They said, “We play cricket on Sundays.” | They said that they play cricket on Sundays. |
Historical / Fixed Past Events
(Facts about history, dates, or time-bound truths)
Do not backshift the tense if the statement already uses Past Simple and refers to a known fact or fixed historical date.
Examples:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| He said, “India became independent in 1947.” | He said that India became independent in 1947. |
| The teacher said, “Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869.” | The teacher said that Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869. |
Interrogative Sentences (Yes/No Type Questions)
Begins with auxiliary (helping) verbs like:
Is, Am, Are, Do, Does, Did, Has, Have, Had, Will, Shall, Can, Could, Should, Would, May, Might
Rules:
1. Use "if" or "whether" instead of 'that'
2. said → asked / inquired / wanted to know
3. said to → asked / inquired of
4. Remove Question Mark (?)
5. Change the sentence from Interrogative to Affirmative.
Examples:
He said, “Are you hungry?”
He asked if I was hungry.He said to me, “Do you want tea or coffee?”
He asked me whether I wanted tea or coffee.
Interrogative Sentences (WH Type Questions)
1. that/if/whether - No Use
2. why/what/whose/how/where/etc. - As it is
3. said → asked / inquired
4. said to → asked / inquired of
5. Remove Question Mark (?)
6. Change the sentence from Interrogative to Affirmative.
Examples:
He said to her, “Why are you happy?”
He asked her why she was happy.She said, “Where do you live?”
She asked where I lived.
Imperative Sentences (Commands/Requests/Suggestions)
1. 'that' is not used; 'to' is used
2. Use to + verb for positive commands
3. Use not to + verb for negative commands
4. said to → told / ordered / requested / advised / warned / begged / commanded / urged, etc.
Examples:
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He said, “Open the door.”
He told me to open the door. -
She said, “Don’t shout.”
She told me not to shout.
He said to me, “Work hard.”
He advised me to work hard.She said to Rohit, “Go out.”
She ordered Rohit to go out.
"Let us" (suggestion/invitation)
1. Used for: making a suggestion, proposal, or invitation2. Change the reporting verb to: suggested / proposed
3. Use the structure: that + we should + verb
Examples:
He said, “Let us go for a walk.”
He suggested that we should go for a walk.
She said, “Let us start the game.”
She proposed that we should start the game.
2. Use the structure: allowed / permitted / told + object + to + verb
Examples:
He said to me, “Let him go.”
He told me to let him go.
The teacher said to her, “Let the child speak.”
The teacher allowed her to let the child speak.
1. Used for: giving a command to allow someone to do something.
2. Use: ordered / commanded + to + verb
Example:
The officer said, “Let him enter.”
The officer ordered that he should be allowed to enter.
1. Used for: wishes, prayers, hopes, often in a formal tone.
2. Use: wished / prayed that...
3. Use might in the reported speech.
Example:
He said, “Let him live long.”
He prayed that he might live long.
She said, “Let there be peace.”
She wished that there might be peace.
Exclamatory Sentences
1. Change exclamatory sentence into affirmative sentence.
2. said → wished, prayed, exclaimed with joy / exclaimed with sorrow / exclaimed with surprise / exclaimed with wonder / etc.
3. Remove interjections like oh, wow, alas, etc.
Examples:
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He said, “What a beautiful view!”
He exclaimed with wonder that it was a beautiful view. -
She said, “Alas! I failed.”
She exclaimed with sorrow that she had failed.
"Good afternoon, Aunty", said Tanmay.
Tanmay wished Aunty a good afternoon.Tia said, "May God bless you!"
Tia prayed that God might bless her.