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Welcome to our blog on Narration, an essential topic in English Language that plays a crucial role in all competitive exams. Approximately 3 - 4 questions are certain to appear from this topic in the exam, making it imperative for you to grasp the concepts of Narration thoroughly and practice a variety of questions.

In this blog, we will comprehensively cover all the theoretical concepts and rules of this topic. Additionally, we have included previously asked questions from various competitive exams, to help you get a feel for what to expect. So, let's dive into the world of Narration and boost your exam preparation.

<h2 id="content-id-1614-0">What is Narration</h2>

Narration is the act of narrating the words of the speaker. It’s a form of expression through which the speaker voices their opinions, thoughts etc. So, whenever someone is speaking or telling something, that act of speaking is called narration. We use narration in day to day conversations, in story-telling, in educational writings etc.

Narration of a speaker can be done either through direct speech or through indirect speech.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Narration piccs" src="https://study.kdcampus.live/admin/assets/uploads/ckeditor/Narration_piccs.webp" style="height:338px; width:600px">

[Source: KD Live]

<h2 id="content-id-1614-1">Direct Speech and Indirect Speech: Narration</h2>

Direct speech: When the message of the speaker is reported in the exact same words as spoken by him.

Direct speech example: Shreya said ‘I am working here’.

Indirect speech: When the message of the speaker is reported in our own words.

Indirect speech example: Shreya said that she was working there.

<h2 id="content-id-1614-2">Rules for Narration</h2>

RULE: 1

When the reporting verb is in the past, all present tense in the Direct Speech will change into the corresponding past tenses.

Example: 

He said, “I want to go.”

He said that he wanted to go.

Here, the simple present will become simple past.

RULE: 2 

If the reporting verb is in the present or Future tense (e.g., say, will say), there is no change in the tense of the verb in the Indirect Speech.

Example: 

Raja says, “I eat a mango.”

Raja says that he eats a mango.

RULE: 3 

The Present tense in the Direct Speech becomes Past tense in the Indirect Speech.

Example: 

John said, “I write a letter.”

Johan said that he wrote a letter.

RULE: 4 

The past tense in the Direct Speech becomes past perfect or remains unchanged in the Indirect Speech.

Example:

Ram said, “I brought a pen yesterday.”

Ram said that he had brought a pen the day before.

RULE: 5 

The present continuous tense in the Direct Speech becomes past continuous in the Indirect Speech.

Example: Peter said, “I am going to church.” Peter said that he was going to church.

RULE: 6 

The past continuous tense in the Direct Speech becomes past perfect continuous in the Indirect tense.

Example:

Sachin said, “I was playing cricket.”

Sachin said that he had been playing cricket.

RULE: 7 

The present perfect tense in the Direct Speech becomes past perfect in the Indirect Speech.

Example: 

Kamal said, “I have done my homework.”

Kamal said that he had done his homework.

RULE: 8

When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the reported speech in also in the past tense.

Example:

They said that they would visit Mumbai next month.

The prisoner thought that that he would escape from the prison.

RULE: 9 

The present perfect continuous tense in the Direct Speech becomes past perfect continuous in the Indirect Speech.

Example: 

He said, “I have been reading a novel.”

He said that he had been reading a novel.

RULE : 10 Remember that- ‘will’ and ‘shall’ are always changed into ‘would’ in indirect speech.

Example: 

He said, “I will go to London the next day.”

He said that he would go to London the next day.

Now, we have covered all the basic concepts of this topic. Direct questions from "Narration" are asked in SSC exams. Given below are some previously asked questions for you to practice.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Narration previous" src="https://study.kdcampus.live/admin/assets/uploads/ckeditor/Narration_previous.webp" style="height:338px; width:600px">

[Source: KD Live]

<h2 id="content-id-1614-3">Narration - SSC Previous Year Questions</h2>

Q:1 Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. 

”Is he alright now?” I asked my neighbour’s wife about her husband, Mr. Gulyani. [SSC CGL Tier-I 2021] 

1.I asked Mrs. Gulyani, my neighbour’s wife, if her husband had become alright then.

2.I asked Mrs. Gulyani, my neighbour’s wife, if her husband is alright now

3.I asked Mrs. Gulyani, my neighbour’s wife, if your husband will be alright now.

4.I asked Mrs. Gulyani, my neighbour’s wife, if her hus band was alright then.

Q:2 Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.

He asked me when I had booked the flight tickets. [SSC CGL Tier-I 2022] 

1.He said to me, “When did you book the flight tickets?”

2.He said to me, “When are you booking the flight tickets?”

3.He said to me, “When do you book the flight tickets?”

4.He said to me, “When you had book the flight tickets?”

Q:3 Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. 

The students asked the teacher where they could find the information for their project. [SSC CHSL 2021]

1.The teacher said to the students, “Where you can find the information for your project.”

2.The students said to the teacher, “Where can you find the information for our project?”

3.The students asked the teacher, “Where can we find the information for our project?”

4.The teacher said to the students, “I will tell you where you can find the information for your project.”

Q:4 Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech.

She said to me, “What time is your flight tomorrow?” [SSC CGL Tier-I 2020] 

1.She asked me what time is my flight the next day.

2.She asked me that what time was my flight tomorrow.

3.She asked me what time my flight was the following day.

4.She asked me what time my flight will be the next day.

Q:5 Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. 

Johnny’s mother said, “Johnny, run down to the grocer’s and get a loaf of French bread and a pound of cheddar cheese.” [SSC CGL Tier-I 2020] 

1.Johnny’s mother pleaded with John to run down to the grocer’s and get her a loaf of French bread and a pound of cheddar cheese.

2.Johnny asked his mother to run down to the grocer’s and get a loaf of French bread and a pound of cheddar cheese.

3.Johnny’s mother asked him to run down to the grocer’s and get a loaf of French bread and a pound of cheddar cheese.

4.Johnny commanded his mother to go down to the grocer and buy a loaf of French bread and a pound of cheddar cheese.

Q:6 Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. 

She said to me, "The charlatan will be breaking into the safe." [SSC CGL Tier-I 2022] 

1.She told me that the charlatan would be breaking into the safe.

2.She said to me that the charlatan will be breaking in the safe.

3.She said to me that the charlatan can be breaking into the safe

4.She said to me that the charlatan is breaking into the safe.

Q:7 Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

Manoj said to Mira, “Do not try to make a fool of me.” [SSC CGL Tier I 2022] 

1.Manoj told Mira not to try to make a fool of him.

2. Manoj told Mira to not try to make a fool of me.

3.Manoj told Mira do not try to make a fool of him.

4. Manoj told Mira to not to try to make a fool of me.

Q:8 Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. 

She said, "I am in no mood to work now." [SSC CGL Tier I 2022] 

1.She said that she has been in no mood to work then.

2.She said that she was in no mood to work now.

3.She said that she was in no mood to work then.

4.She said that she has been in no mood to work now.

Q:9 Select the correct direct form of the given sentence.

She asked me why I had been smoking that day. [SSC CGL Tier I 2022] 

1.She said to me, “Why were you smoking today?”

2.She said to me, “Why are you smoking today?”

3.She said to me, “Why you smoke today?”

4.She says to me, “Why were you smoking this day?”

Q:10 Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. 

He said that something might be missing in there. [SSC CGL Tier I 2022] 

1.He said, "Something may be missing in here."

2.He said, "Something had to be missing in there."

3.He said, "Something is been missing in here."

4.He said, "Something could be missing in here."

<h2 id="content-id-1614-4">Narration - Solutions of SSC Previous Year Questions</h2>

Q:1 (4) Given sentence is an interrogative sentence. Said will be changed to asked. If will be used since the sentence has a close ended question. Is will be changed to asked. Question marks and double inverted commas will be removed.

Q:2 (1) In direct speech, we need to add commas and inverted commas. Asked is changed to said to. Second-person pronouns are changed according to the object of the reporting verb, so, I is changed to you. Had booked is changed to did book.

Q:3 (3) In direct speech, we need to add commas and inverted commas. Could will be changed to can. Their will be changed to our. They will be changed to we.

Q:4 (3) As the reported speech is in “Interrogative sentence” we need to make changes according to this. There will be a change in the reporting verb and it will be changed into asked. The inverted comma will be changed into what. Tense of the reported speech will be changed into “Past Tense”. The reported speech will be kept in the assertive structure.

Q:5 (3) As the reported speech is in “Imperative sentence” we need to make changes according to this. There will be a change in the reporting verb and it will be changed into asked. The inverted comma will be changed into to. 

Q:6 (1) Identify the reporting verb, which is "said", and the tense it is in, which is the past tense. Identify the direct speech, which is "The charlatan will be breaking into the safe". Introduce a reporting clause using the reporting verb, in the tense identified in step 1, followed by the conjunction "that". In this case, the reporting clause would be "She told me that". Rewrite the direct speech as reported speech, making the necessary changes to pronouns, tenses, and other words that may need to be changed to make the sentence grammatically correct in indirect speech.

Q:7 (1) The given sentence is imperative in nature. The conjunction ‘to’ should be used in place of commas and inverted commas. ’Don’t’ will be converted into ‘not to’. ’Said to’ will be changed into ‘told’. V1 should always be followed by to. Since the first person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, ‘me’ will be changed into ‘him.’

Q:8 (3) Identify the reporting verb (in this case, "said"). Use an appropriate reporting verb in the past tense (in this case, "said" changes to "said that") to introduce the reported speech. Change the pronouns and verb tenses in the reported speech as follows: "I", "me", "my" to "she", "her", "hers" and "am" to "was". If necessary, change any time or place references to reflect the appropriate tense or context. Enclose the reported speech in quotation marks or use an appropriate reporting verb or phrase (in this case, "that" is used).

Q:9 (4) It is a simple sentence in which the subject "She" is followed by the verb "asked" and then the object "me", and then a question is posed starting with the interrogative word "why" and followed by the subject "I" and the past perfect tense verb "had been smoking" and the object "that day".

Q:10 (1) The reported verb 'said' remains unchanged in the reporting part of speech. The conjunction that should be replaced with inverted commas to show the direct speech part. A comma is added after the direct speech part. The modal verb might should be replaced with may in the direct part of the speech.

This article has provided you with valuable insights into the world of Narrations. We sincerely hope that you have found this blog useful and that it has contributed to enhancing your understanding of this crucial topic. As you continue to gear up for your upcoming exam, we encourage you to share your thoughts, or any doubts you may have in the comments section below.

Stay tuned, as <a href="https://study.kdcampus.live/">KD Live</a> promises to bring you more such informative blogs with comprehensive study material and a thorough analysis of previous year questions on all the topics of English Language section. Best of luck with your exam preparations, and may you excel in your endeavors!

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Direct Speech and Indirect Speech: Narration

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