Master Guide: Narration (Direct & Indirect Speech)

by

Here is a comprehensive “Master Guide” to Narration (Direct and Indirect Speech), specifically designed for SEBA Class 10 students. This guide explains the core rules with a step-by-step approach, using examples from past papers in both English and Assamese for clear understanding.

Master Guide: Narration (Direct & Indirect Speech)

(ইংৰাজী আৰু অসমীয়াত সম্পূৰ্ণ বুজনি)

Understanding the Core Concept (মূল ধাৰণাটো বুজা)

In English: Narration is the art of reporting someone’s words.

  • Direct Speech: Quoting the exact words of the speaker, using quotation marks (“…”).
  • Indirect (or Reported) Speech: Reporting the meaning of what the speaker said, without using their exact words. We become a reporter.

In Assamese: Narration হ’ল কোনোবাই কোৱা কথাখিনি বৰ্ণনা কৰা কলা।

  • Direct Speech (প্ৰত্যক্ষ উক্তি): বক্তাৰ একেবাৰে একেই শব্দবোৰ উদ্ধৃতি চিহ্ন (“…”) ব্যৱহাৰ কৰি কোৱা হয়।
  • Indirect Speech (পৰোক্ষ উক্তি): বক্তাই কোৱা কথাৰ অৰ্থটো নিজৰ ভাষাত বৰ্ণনা কৰা হয়, তেওঁৰ একেই শব্দ ব্যৱহাৰ নকৰাকৈ। আমি এজন সংবাদাতাৰ দৰে কাম কৰোঁ।

Example (উদাহৰণ):

  • Direct: He said, “I am busy.” (তেওঁ ক’লে, “মই ব্যস্ত।” )
  • Indirect: He said that he was busy. (তেওঁ কৈছিল যে তেওঁ ব্যস্ত আছিল।)

The 3 Golden Rules of Conversion (ৰূপান্তৰৰ ৩টা সোণালী নিয়ম)

To change from Direct to Indirect speech, you almost always need to make three changes.
(Direct Speech-ৰ পৰা Indirect Speech-লৈ সলনি কৰিবলৈ প্ৰায় সদায় তিনিটা পৰিৱৰ্তন কৰিব লাগে।)

1. Change of Tense (Tense-ৰ পৰিৱৰ্তন)
2. Change of Pronoun (Pronoun-ৰ পৰিৱৰ্তন)
3. Change of Time/Place Words (সময়/স্থান বুজোৱা শব্দৰ পৰিৱৰ্তন)

Let’s master these rules based on the type of sentence.
(এতিয়া বাক্যৰ প্ৰকাৰ অনুসৰি এই নিয়মবোৰ শিকোঁ।)

Type 1: Assertive Sentences (বৰ্ণনামূলক বাক্য)

These are simple statements.
(এইবোৰ সাধাৰণ বাক্য।)

  • Reporting Verb: said to becomes told. said remains said.
    (said to-ৰ ঠাইত told বহে। said থাকিলে said-এ হয়।)
  • Conjunction (সংযোজক): Use that to connect the two parts.
    (দুয়োটা অংশ সংযোগ কৰিবলৈ that ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা হয়।)
  • Tense Change Table (Tense-ৰ পৰিৱৰ্তন তালিকা):
    • Present Simple (V1) → Past Simple (V2)
    • Present Continuous (is/am/are + V-ing) → Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing)
    • Present Perfect (has/have + V3) → Past Perfect (had + V3)
    • Past Simple (V2) → Past Perfect (had + V3)
    • can → could
    • will → would
    • may → might
    • shall → should/would
  • Example from Past Paper (HSLC 2017):
    • Direct: Anita said, “I do not know the boy.”
    • Step 1 (Reporting Verb & Conjunction): Anita said that…
    • Step 2 (Pronoun Change): “I” refers to Anita, so “I” becomes she.
    • Step 3 (Tense Change): “do not know” (Present Simple) becomes did not know (Past Simple).
    • Answer (উত্তৰ): Anita said that she did not know the boy.
  • Example from Past Paper (HSLC 2016):
    • Direct: The stranger asked me if I could tell him the way to the Post office. (This is already Indirect)
    • Let’s change it to Direct:
    • Logic: asked implies a question. if means it’s a Yes/No question. could will become can. him becomes me.
    • Answer (উত্তৰ): The stranger said to me, “Can you tell me the way to the Post office?”

Type 2: Interrogative Sentences (প্ৰশ্নবোধক বাক্য)

These are questions.
(এইবোৰ প্ৰশ্নসূচক বাক্য।)

  • Reporting Verb: said to becomes asked or enquired of.
    (said to-ৰ ঠাইত asked বা enquired of বহে।)
  • Structure Change: The question form (Verb + Subject) changes back to a statement form (Subject + Verb). Never use a question mark (?) in Indirect Speech.
    (প্ৰশ্নৰ গঠন (Verb + Subject) সলনি হৈ সাধাৰণ বাক্যৰ গঠন (Subject + Verb) হৈ যায়। Indirect Speech-ত কেতিয়াও প্ৰশ্নবোধক চিহ্ন (?) ব্যৱহাৰ নহয়।)
  • Two Kinds of Questions (দুই প্ৰকাৰৰ প্ৰশ্ন):
    1. Wh- Questions (Wh- প্ৰশ্ন): Questions starting with What, Why, When, Where, How, etc.
      • Conjunction: The Wh-word itself acts as the conjunction. No that is used.
        (Wh-শব্দটোৱেই সংযোজক হিচাপে কাম কৰে। that ব্যৱহাৰ নহয়।)
      • Example (HSLC 2019): Mother said to me, “What will you do after the examination?”
      • Answer: Mother asked me what I would do after the examination.
        (Notice: “what will you do” becomes “what I would do” – statement form)
    2. Yes/No Questions (হয়/নহয় প্ৰশ্ন): Questions starting with an auxiliary verb (Do, Is, Have, Can, etc.).
      • Conjunction: Use if or whether.
        (if বা whether সংযোজক হিচাপে ব্যৱহাৰ হয়।)
      • Example (HSLC 2020): Rahim said to me, “Do you know the man standing at the gate?”
      • Answer: Rahim asked me if I knew the man standing at the gate.
        (Notice: “Do you know” (Present Simple) becomes “knew” (Past Simple). The “Do” is removed.)

Type 3: Imperative Sentences (অনুজ্ঞা-সূচক বাক্য)

These sentences express a command, request, advice, or order.
(এই বাক্যবোৰে আদেশ, অনুৰোধ, উপদেশ, বা নিৰ্দেশ বুজায়।)

  • Reporting Verb:said to changes based on the mood of the sentence:
    • ordered (আদেশ)
    • requested (অনুৰোধ)
    • advised (উপদেশ)
    • forbade (নিষেধ)
    • told (সাধাৰণভাৱে কোৱা)
  • Conjunction: Use to for positive sentences and not to for negative sentences.
    (হাঁ-বোধক বাক্যৰ বাবে to আৰু না-বোধক বাক্যৰ বাবে not to ব্যৱহাৰ হয়।)
  • Tense Change: The verb is in its base form (V1) after to. There is no change of tense.
    (to-ৰ পিছত verb-টো মূল ৰূপত (V1) থাকে। Tense-ৰ কোনো পৰিৱৰ্তন নহয়।)
  • Example from Past Paper (HSLC 2019):
    • Direct: Anita said to Ravi, “Please lend me your pen.”
    • Logic: “Please” indicates a request.
    • Answer: Anita requested Ravi to lend her his pen.
      (Pronoun changes: me -> her, your -> his)
  • Example from Past Paper (HSLC 2021):
    • Direct: Mother said to Rafique, “Do not keep evil company in your life.”
    • Logic: This is advice. It’s a negative sentence.
    • Answer: Mother advised Rafique not to keep evil company in his life.

Type 4: Exclamatory Sentences (আৱেগ-সূচক বাক্য)

These sentences express strong emotions (joy, sorrow, wonder).
(এই বাক্যবোৰে तीव्र আৱেগ প্ৰকাশ কৰে (আনন্দ, দুখ, বিস্ময়)।)

  • Reporting Verb: said changes to exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow, exclaimed with wonder, etc.
    (said-ৰ ঠাইত exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow, exclaimed with wonder আদি বহে।)
  • Conjunction: Use that.
    (that ব্যৱহাৰ হয়।)
  • Structure Change: The exclamatory sentence is changed into a simple assertive sentence, often using words like very or great.
    (আৱেগ-সূচক বাক্যটোক এটা সাধাৰণ বৰ্ণনামূলক বাক্যলৈ সলনি কৰা হয়, আৰু প্ৰায়ে very বা great আদি শব্দ ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা হয়।)
  • Example from Past Paper (HSLC 2015):
    • Direct: “What a beautiful building !”, he said.
    • Logic: This expresses wonder or admiration.
    • Answer: He exclaimed with wonder that it was a very beautiful building.

Mastering the 3rd Golden Rule: Change of Time/Place Words

(৩য় সোণালী নিয়ম: সময়/স্থান বুজোৱা শব্দৰ পৰিৱৰ্তন)

This is a list you should memorize.
(এই তালিকাখন মুখস্থ কৰা উচিত।)

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech
nowthen
todaythat day
yesterdaythe previous day / the day before
tomorrowthe next day / the following day
tonightthat night
herethere
thisthat
thesethose
agobefore

Example: He said, “I will do it tomorrow.” → He said that he would do it the next day.

50 Practice Examples on Narration

Assertive Sentences (বৰ্ণনামূলক বাক্য)

  1. Direct: She said, “I am reading a novel now.”
    Indirect: She said that she was reading a novel then.
  2. Direct: The boy said, “We have finished our homework.”
    Indirect: The boy said that they had finished their homework.
  3. Direct: He said, “I bought this pen yesterday.”
    Indirect: He said that he had bought that pen the previous day.
  4. Direct: My friend said to me, “You are a very kind person.”
    Indirect: My friend told me that I was a very kind person.
  5. Direct: The teacher said, “The Earth moves round the sun.”
    Indirect: The teacher said that the Earth moves round the sun. (No tense change for universal truth)
  6. Direct: Rina said, “I will go to Guwahati tomorrow.”
    Indirect: Rina said that she would go to Guwahati the next day.
  7. Direct: He said, “I can solve this problem.”
    Indirect: He said that he could solve that problem.
  8. Direct: They said, “We were playing football.”
    Indirect: They said that they had been playing football.
  9. Direct: The old man said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
    Indirect: The old man said that honesty is the best policy. (No tense change for a proverb)
  10. Indirect: He told me that he had been waiting for me.
    Direct: He said to me, “I have been waiting for you.”

Interrogative Sentences (প্ৰশ্নবোধক বাক্য)

  1. Direct: He said to me, “What is your name?”
    Indirect: He asked me what my name was.
  2. Direct: She said to him, “Are you feeling well today?”
    Indirect: She asked him if he was feeling well that day.
  3. Direct: The teacher said to the student, “Why are you late?”
    Indirect: The teacher asked the student why he/she was late.
  4. Direct: I said to her, “Do you like tea?”
    Indirect: I asked her if she liked tea.
  5. Direct: The stranger said to me, “Where do you live?”
    Indirect: The stranger asked me where I lived.
  6. Direct: My father said to me, “Have you done your homework?”
    Indirect: My father asked me if I had done my homework.
  7. Direct: She said to the shopkeeper, “How much does this cost?”
    Indirect: She asked the shopkeeper how much that cost.
  8. Direct: The captain said to the players, “Will you obey my orders?”
    Indirect: The captain asked the players if they would obey his orders.
  9. Direct: I said to the boy, “When will the train arrive?”
    Indirect: I asked the boy when the train would arrive.
  10. Indirect: She asked me whether I could help her.
    Direct: She said to me, “Can you help me?”

Imperative Sentences (অনুজ্ঞা-সূচক বাক্য)

  1. Direct: The teacher said to the students, “Keep quiet.”
    Indirect: The teacher ordered the students to keep quiet.
  2. Direct: He said to me, “Please give me a glass of water.”
    Indirect: He requested me to give him a glass of water.
  3. Direct: The doctor said to the patient, “Don’t eat oily food.”
    Indirect: The doctor advised the patient not to eat oily food.
  4. Direct: My father said to me, “Always speak the truth.”
    Indirect: My father advised me to always speak the truth.
  5. Direct: The general said to the soldiers, “March forward.”
    Indirect: The general commanded the soldiers to march forward.
  6. Direct: She said to her friend, “Let’s go for a walk.”
    Indirect: She proposed to her friend that they should go for a walk.
  7. Direct: The old woman said to the boy, “Don’t touch the wire.”
    Indirect: The old woman warned the boy not to touch the wire.
  8. Direct: I said to him, “Lend me your book for a day.”
    Indirect: I requested him to lend me his book for a day.
  9. Direct: The mother said to her son, “Never tell a lie.”
    Indirect: The mother advised her son never to tell a lie.
  10. Indirect: He requested his boss to grant him leave.
    Direct: He said to his boss, “Please grant me leave.”

Exclamatory & Optative Sentences (আৱেগ-সূচক আৰু ইচ্ছাবোধক বাক্য)

  1. Direct: He said, “Alas! I am undone.”
    Indirect: He exclaimed with sorrow that he was undone.
  2. Direct: The boys said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”
    Indirect: The boys exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
  3. Direct: She said, “What a beautiful sight!”
    Indirect: She exclaimed with wonder that it was a very beautiful sight.
  4. Direct: The old man said to me, “May you live long!”
    Indirect: The old man wished that I might live long. (or) The old man prayed for my long life.
  5. Direct: He said, “Good morning, my friend.”
    Indirect: He wished his friend good morning.
  6. Direct: The player said, “Bravo! You have played well.”
    Indirect: The player applauded him, saying that he had played well.
  7. Direct: She said, “How foolish I have been!”
    Indirect: She confessed with regret that she had been very foolish.
  8. Direct: The saint said, “May God bless you!”
    Indirect: The saint prayed that God might bless me/him/her.
  9. Direct: He said, “Goodbye, my friends.”
    Indirect: He bade his friends goodbye.
  10. Indirect: He exclaimed with sorrow that it was a great tragedy.
    Direct: He said, “Alas! What a great tragedy it is.”

Mixed Practice (মিহলি অনুশীলন)

  1. Direct: The police said to the thief, “Where have you hidden the stolen goods?”
    Indirect: The police asked the thief where he had hidden the stolen goods.
  2. Direct: The girl said, “I came here yesterday.”
    Indirect: The girl said that she had gone there the previous day.
  3. Direct: The master said to the servant, “Go and fetch me a glass of milk.”
    Indirect: The master ordered the servant to go and fetch him a glass of milk.
  4. Direct: “What are you doing here?” the old man said to the girl.
    Indirect: The old man asked the girl what she was doing there.
  5. Direct: The boy said, “I am glad to be here this evening.”
    Indirect: The boy said that he was glad to be there that evening.
  6. Direct: “Can you solve this sum?” I said to her.
    Indirect: I asked her if she could solve that sum.
  7. Direct: He said, “Let us wait for our friends.”
    Indirect: He proposed that they should wait for their friends.
  8. Direct: The tourist said, “What a magnificent building!”
    Indirect: The tourist exclaimed with wonder that it was a very magnificent building.
  9. Indirect: The teacher advised the students not to waste their time.
    Direct: The teacher said to the students, “Don’t waste your time.”
  10. Indirect: He asked me if I had seen the Taj Mahal.
    Direct: He said to me, “Have you seen the Taj Mahal?”

Leave a Comment