DIRECT / INDIRECT NARRATIONS
NARRATION: It means a statement.
DIRECT NARRATION: A statement that shows the pure words of a speaker:
INDIRECT NARRATION: A statement that shows the change in the pure words
of the speaker into our own words:
There are two ways to quote or convey any message.
1. Direct way in which the narrator conveys the message as it is (means in same
wordings of the speaker.)
The first way is also called direct speech or direct narration.
There are two parts of direct speech or direct narration.
a) Reporting Speech:
It tells about the speaker.
It is usually in the present simple, past simple or future simple tenses.
It mentions, who is the speaker (essential part) and to whom the speaker is speaking to
(not necessary part).
b) Reported Speech:
It tells about the actual wordings of the speaker.
It can be in any tense or any sense. It is always enclosed in inverted commas.
Example:
Saima says to Kashif, “I am waiting for my husband.”
Here
Reporting Speech is Saima says to Kashif
Comma (,) separates the two sentences / clauses
Reported Speech is “I am waiting for my husband.”
2. Indirect way in which narrator conveys only meaning of the message or in other
words he changes the wordings of actual message.
It is called indirect speech or indirect narration. There is no need of inverted
commas.
NARRATION is like a game, and every game is played with proper rules and regulations.
Similarly, Narration has also some rules and regulations to change the Direct Statement into
Indirect statement.
Compiled by Sir Sarwar Farhan (English Lecturer) Page 1 of 9
, Kind of Sentences
There are five kinds of sentences
1. Assertive Sentences
Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences
2. Interrogative Sentences
Wh. Questions Helping Verb Questions
3. Imperative Sentences
Order Request Advise
4. Exclamatory Sentences
Sorrow Joy Wonder
5. Optative Sentences
Wish Pray
CHANGES IN REPORTING SPEECH
The change in the Reporting Speech depends upon the kinds of sentences in the Reported
Speech whether it is Assertive, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory or Optative.
1. For Assertive (Negative or Affirmative) Sentences
say to tell says to tells
will say to will tell said to told
,“ ” that
2a. For Interrogative (Wh. Words Question) Sentences
say to ask says to asks
will say to will ask said to asked
,“ ” that
2b. For Interrogative (HV. Words Question) Sentences
say to ask / enquire of says to asks / enquires of
will say to will ask / will enquire of said to asked / enquired of
,“ ” if / whether
3a. For Imperative (Order) Sentences
say to order says to orders
will say to will order said to ordered
,“ ” to
3b. For Imperative (request) Sentences
say to request says to requests
will say to will request said to requested
,“ ” to
3c. For Imperative (advice / suggestion) Sentences
say to advise says to advises
will say to will advise said to advised
,“ ” to
4a. For Exclamatory (Joy) Sentences
say to exclaim with joy to says to exclaims with joy to
will say to will exclaim with joy to said to exclaimed with joy to
,“ ” that
4b. For Exclamatory (wonder) Sentences
say to exclaim with wonder to says to exclaims with wonder to
will say to will exclaim with wonder to said to exclaimed with wonder to
,“ ” that
4c. For Exclamatory (sorrow) Sentences
Compiled by Sir Sarwar Farhan (English Lecturer) Page 2 of 9
NARRATION: It means a statement.
DIRECT NARRATION: A statement that shows the pure words of a speaker:
INDIRECT NARRATION: A statement that shows the change in the pure words
of the speaker into our own words:
There are two ways to quote or convey any message.
1. Direct way in which the narrator conveys the message as it is (means in same
wordings of the speaker.)
The first way is also called direct speech or direct narration.
There are two parts of direct speech or direct narration.
a) Reporting Speech:
It tells about the speaker.
It is usually in the present simple, past simple or future simple tenses.
It mentions, who is the speaker (essential part) and to whom the speaker is speaking to
(not necessary part).
b) Reported Speech:
It tells about the actual wordings of the speaker.
It can be in any tense or any sense. It is always enclosed in inverted commas.
Example:
Saima says to Kashif, “I am waiting for my husband.”
Here
Reporting Speech is Saima says to Kashif
Comma (,) separates the two sentences / clauses
Reported Speech is “I am waiting for my husband.”
2. Indirect way in which narrator conveys only meaning of the message or in other
words he changes the wordings of actual message.
It is called indirect speech or indirect narration. There is no need of inverted
commas.
NARRATION is like a game, and every game is played with proper rules and regulations.
Similarly, Narration has also some rules and regulations to change the Direct Statement into
Indirect statement.
Compiled by Sir Sarwar Farhan (English Lecturer) Page 1 of 9
, Kind of Sentences
There are five kinds of sentences
1. Assertive Sentences
Affirmative Sentences Negative Sentences
2. Interrogative Sentences
Wh. Questions Helping Verb Questions
3. Imperative Sentences
Order Request Advise
4. Exclamatory Sentences
Sorrow Joy Wonder
5. Optative Sentences
Wish Pray
CHANGES IN REPORTING SPEECH
The change in the Reporting Speech depends upon the kinds of sentences in the Reported
Speech whether it is Assertive, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory or Optative.
1. For Assertive (Negative or Affirmative) Sentences
say to tell says to tells
will say to will tell said to told
,“ ” that
2a. For Interrogative (Wh. Words Question) Sentences
say to ask says to asks
will say to will ask said to asked
,“ ” that
2b. For Interrogative (HV. Words Question) Sentences
say to ask / enquire of says to asks / enquires of
will say to will ask / will enquire of said to asked / enquired of
,“ ” if / whether
3a. For Imperative (Order) Sentences
say to order says to orders
will say to will order said to ordered
,“ ” to
3b. For Imperative (request) Sentences
say to request says to requests
will say to will request said to requested
,“ ” to
3c. For Imperative (advice / suggestion) Sentences
say to advise says to advises
will say to will advise said to advised
,“ ” to
4a. For Exclamatory (Joy) Sentences
say to exclaim with joy to says to exclaims with joy to
will say to will exclaim with joy to said to exclaimed with joy to
,“ ” that
4b. For Exclamatory (wonder) Sentences
say to exclaim with wonder to says to exclaims with wonder to
will say to will exclaim with wonder to said to exclaimed with wonder to
,“ ” that
4c. For Exclamatory (sorrow) Sentences
Compiled by Sir Sarwar Farhan (English Lecturer) Page 2 of 9
