NARRATION —–Change  of  sentences with typical expressions from Direct into Indirect speech.                              

Direct speech consists of two parts:-

1. Reporting speech

2. Reported speech

These two parts are separated from each other by a comma (,) and inverted commas (“  ”). The part outside the inverted commas forms reporting speech (i.e. who is reporting and to whom) and that enclosed within the inverted commas is reported speech (i.e. the matter that is being reported).  The first word of the reported speech begins with a capital letter.

In Indirect Speech

– inverted commas are not used, but generally reporting speech and reported speech are joined together by the conjunction like ‘that’, ‘if’ or ‘whether’ etc.

-the comma between reporting speech and reported speech is removed.

– The signs of question mark and exclamation are not used. Instead full stop sign is used.

– The tense of reporting speech is not changed.

-The forms of interrogative, imperative, exclamatory and optative sentences are changed to assertive sentence.

– The tense of reported speech is changed according to the tense of reporting speech.

–First Person in the reported speech changes according to Subject & Second person according to object  in the reporting speech. For third person there is no change.

Sometimes in reported speech there are verbs used that have some typical expressions. While changing into indirect form these verbs are removed from reported speech and are used in reporting speech.

For example:

He said,” Thank you, my friends.”     He thanked his friends.

The teacher said,” Welcome to your new class, students.”       The teacher welcomed the students to their new class.

There are no specific rules for changing such sentences, however, these are changed taking into consideration the sense and meaning of the reported speech. Some of these words are , Thank, welcome, greet, warn, cheer.assure,condole, expect, persuade or dissuade  etc.

Here are some such sentences for understanding

She said. Thank you, my brother.”

She thanked her brother.

The host said to the guests,” Welcome to my new house.”

The host welcomed the guests to his new house.

The boy said to me,” Be assured, I shall not cheat you.”

The boy assured me  that he would not cheat me.

The teacher said to the students,” I wish you success.”

The teacher wished the students success.

His mother said,” I expect my son here at any moment.”

His mother expected her son there at any moment.

The old lady said to the gentleman,” I condole you in your grief.”

The old lady condoled the gentleman in his grief.

His father said,” I greet you on this occasion of happiness , my son.”

His father greeted his son on that occasion of happiness.

The captain said to the players,” I Congratulate you on your victory.”

The  captain congratulated the players on their victory.

The doctor said to the patient, ” I wish you an early recovery.”

The doctor wished the patient an early recovery.

My mother said to me,” I wish to be with you at this time.”

My mother wished to be with me at that time.

The farmer said, ” I expect a very rich harvest this season.”

The  farmer expected a very rich harvest that season.

They said, ” We expect a new arrival in our family soon.”

They expected a new arrival in their family soon.

The young lady said, ” i desire to purchase a new necklace for me.”

The young lady expressed  desire to purchase a new necklace for her.

The old man said,” I long for being with members of my family at this time.”

The old man longed for being with the members of his family at that time.

The captain said ,” Cheer up! my boys.”

The captain cheered up his boys.

One wrestler said to the other one in the ring,” I dare you to have a bout with me.”

One wrestler dared the other one in the ring to have a bout with him.

My father said to me, ” I wish you a grand success in the competition.”

My father wished me a grand success in the competition.

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Some sentences for practice.

Change the following sentences from direct into indirect form of speech.

1. The guests said to the host,” We thank you for your hospitality.”
2. The leader said .” I hope to visit this village again soon.”
3. The nurse said to the patient, ” I wish you to get well soon.”
4. The teacher said to her,” I want you to attend the class.”
5. The little girl said,”  I wish to take part in the  competition.”
6. His mother said to him, “I congratulate you on your success.”
7. Her brother said, ” I expect a good news soon.”
8. She said to him,” I expect a favourable response to my proposal from you.”
9. The chief said to him,” I welcome you on your joining my office today.”
10. She said to her friend,”affairs  I sympathize with you on this hour of your grief.”

 

Change the narration of the following sentences.

1.  The little girl thanked her mother for sweets given to her.
2. I welcomed all the guests who were present there.
3. She dared the rival girl in the competition to accept her challenge.
4. They greeted the visitors on that occasion of happiness.
5. You assured her to  have confidence on you for making a deal.
6. His father wanted him to save something for the rainy day.
7. She desired her husband gets his promotion that year.
8. His boss wanted him to control  all the affairs of the office.
9. The teacher desired him to improve his position in the class.
10. The contractor pleaded to the owner to make his payments immediately.

 

In addition to simple sentences as written above,  these sentences are combined with other types of sentences also . In those cases  the sentences are changed according to the rules applicable to them separately of each type.

For example:

The guests said to the host,” We thank you for the dinner. We all enjoyed ourselves very much.”

The guests thanked the host for the dinner and told that they all enjoyed themselves very much.

The manager said to the players,” I welcome you to this competition and wish you a great success.”

The manager welcomed the players to that competition and wished them a great success.

 

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A few combined sentences for practice.

Change Narration of   the following sentences

1. She prayed to God for his success and wished his hard work was rewarded.
2. The lady of the house welcomed the guests and offered them to have delicious food.
3. The peasant said ,” I hope good crops this year. I expect to earn good money.”
4. The poor man thanked  the  boys for their timely help and requested them to visit  his house.
5. The captain said ,” I congratulate all of you, my boys. I pray you win the next match too.”
6. The manager said to the visitor,” I assure you of my all help in this matter. You are always welcome for this.”
7. The beggar said to the gentleman,” I thank you for your kind help.I pray to God for all riches to you.”
8. She dared the other lady standing in front of her to accept her challenge to win  the competition.
9. She said to her friend,” I consider your entry in the competition as a big challenge against myself.”
10. The host said to the guests,” I thank you for your kind visit. Please join us  and have a dinner.”

 

Answers

1. She said .” I pray to  God for your  success. I wish your hard work is rewarded. ( Note here ‘his’ is also correct)
2. The lady of the house said to the guests,” I  welcome you and offer you to have delicious food.”
3. The peasant hoped good crops that year expected to earn good money.”
4. The poor man said to the boys,”  Thank (or I thank)  you for your timely help. Please  visit  my house.”
5. The captain congratulated all of his boys and  prayed they won the next match too.
6. The manager assured the visitor of his all help in that  matter and told them that they were always welcome for that.
7. The beggar thanked the gentleman for his kind help and prayed to God for all riches to him.
8. She said to the  other lady standing in front of her,” i dare you  to accept my  challenge to win  the competition.”
9. She considered  her friend’s entry in the competition as a big challenge against herself.”
10. The host thanked the guests for their kind visit and requested them to join them  and have a dinner.

 

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