What is Narration ?
Narration :(Direct and Indirect Speech)
The art of reporting the words of the speaker is called Narration.
The person who narrates the words of the speaker is known as the narrator.
Sometimes in English we may have to narrate the words of speaker.
Narration can be of two types as following:
- Direct Speech or Direct Narration
- Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration
1. Direct Narration or Direct Speech :
Direct speech is that in which the words of speaker kept in inverted commas ("........") as it is.
For Example:
Kavita said to me,"I shall go to the picture today."
2. Indirection Narration or Indirect Speech:
In indirect speech the words of speaker are narrated or explained in own words.
For Example:
Kavita told me that she would go to the picture that day.
Reporter: speaker
Reporting verb:
Reported speech:
Kavita —----------said to—--------------------------------me."I shall go to the picture today".
Reporter—-------Reporting verb—------------------------------------Reported speech
Rules to Change Direct Speech into Indirect Speech
1. To change Reporting verb: Reporting verb 'said to' is changed according to the sentence of Reporting Speech.
2. Remove the Inverted Commas: Proper Conjunction is used in place of Inverted Commas.
3. Change the Pronouns:
I |
My |
We |
Our |
You |
Yours |
He |
His |
She |
Her |
They |
Their |
Me |
Myself |
Us |
Ourselves |
You |
Yourself,yourselves |
Him |
Himself |
Her |
Herself |
Them |
Themselves |
To change Direct Speech into Indirect Speech ,We change the Pronouns according to a Rule called 'SON-123'. Let's understand the 'SON-123'.
| Rule | 123/SON stands for: | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | 1 = 1st Person (I, my, me, we, our, us) |
2 = 2nd Person (You, your, yours) |
3 = 3rd Person (He, she, it, they, his, him, her, their, them) |
| SON | S = Subject | O = Object | N = No change |
Rule- 123-SON
Rule - SON-123
| Person of Pronoun in Reported Speech | SON-Rule (1=S, 2=O, 3=N) |
Change in the Person of the Pronoun in Indirect Speech |
|---|---|---|
| If Person of Pronoun of Reported Speech is the 1st person | S (1st Person = Subject) | Change the Person of the Pronoun as per Reporting Verb's Subject |
| If Person of Pronoun of Reported Speech is the 2nd person | O (2nd Person = Object) | Change the Person of the Pronoun as per Reporting Verb's Object |
| If Person of Pronoun of Reported Speech is the 3rd person | N (3rd Person = No Change) | There is No Change in the Pronoun. |
Examples According to above table SON-123 Rule
- Direct: She says,"I am in 10th class."
Indirect: She says that she is in 10th class. - Direct: They say,"We should not tell a lie."
Indirect: They say that they should not tell a lie. - Direct: They say,"We should not tell a lie."
Indirect: They say that they should not tell a lie.
First person of the pronoun in Reported Speech will be changed according to Reporting verb Subject.
- Direct: She says to me,"You have done your home-work."
Indirect: She tells me that I have done my home-work. - Direct: You say to him,"You have done your home-work."
Indirect: You tell him that he has done his home-work. - Direct: I say to them,"You have done your home-work."
Indirect: I tell them that they have done their home-work.
Second person of the pronoun in Reported Speech will be changed according to Reporting verb Object.
- Direct: She says,"He does not work hard."
Indirect: She says that he does not work hard. - Direct: Everybody says,"They have spoken the truth."
Indirect: Everybody says that they have spoken the truth. - Direct: You say,"She is a good girl."
Indirect: You say that she is a good girl.