What is Narration?
Definition:
Narration is the way of reporting what a speaker says.
Types of Narration
Direct Speech: When we use exact words of the speaker.
Example: He said, “I am happy.”
Indirect Speech: When we report the meaning, not exact words.
Example: He said that he was happy.
Reported and Reporting Clause
Direct Speech: He said, “I am tired.”
He said-Reporting Clause
“I am tired”-Reported Clause
Note-
If the Reporting Verb is in PAST tense, the tense of Direct Speech changes as per rules.
If Reporting Verb is Present / Future, NO change of
tense.
Rules for Changing Direct to Indirect Speech
RULE 1: Change of Reporting Verb
SAY → SAY
SAY TO → TELL
SAID → SAID
SAID TO → TOLD
RULE 2: Change of Pronoun
First person (I, we, my, our, me) → Reporting Verb के subject
के अनुसार बदलता है
Second person (you, your) → Reporting Verb के object
के अनुसार बदलता है
Third person (he, she, they) → No change
In short -
Direct - Indirect
I -he / she
we-they
my-his / her
RULE 3: Change of Tense
Direct Speech- Indirect Speech
Present Indefinite Past Indefinite
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Past Indefinite Past Perfect
RULE 4: Change of Time & Place
Direct -Indirect
now -then
today -that day
yesterday -the previous day
tomorrow -the next day
here -there
Ago- before
Come - Go
RULE 5: Remove Inverted Commas
“ ” are removed and that is used in the place of quotation mark (in statements)
RULE : No Change of Tense
If:
- Reporting verb is present/future
- Universal truth
- Habitual fact
Example:
He says, “The sun rises in the east.”
He says that the sun rises in the east.
Rule:
If the reported speech expresses a universal truth,
the tense does NOT change (even if the reporting verb is in past tense).
Direct: He said, “The sun rises in the east.”
Indirect: He said that the sun rises in the east
My father said, “Time and tide wait for none.”
My father said that time and tide wait for none