Narration is a key concept in English grammar that allows us to convey what someone else has said, either directly or indirectly. Imagine you’re a storyteller, and your role is to share another person’s words with your audience. In English, there are two primary ways to do this: direct speech and indirect speech.
Both forms of narration serve the same purpose—communicating someone else’s message—but they differ in how the message is presented. Knowing how to use both types of narration correctly can improve your storytelling, writing, and everyday communication skills.
In this article, we’ll break down the different types of narration in English Grammer, explore the rules for using them, and provide clear examples to help you understand how to apply narration in your own writing and speaking.
What is narration?
In English grammar, narration refers to reporting or conveying someone else’s speech, thoughts, or actions. It’s the method by which we communicate what someone has said or done, either using their exact words (direct speech) or by rephrasing their message (indirect speech).
Here’s a simple analogy: narration is like being a messenger. In direct speech, you relay the message exactly as it was spoken. In indirect speech, you paraphrase the message while maintaining its meaning.
Types of Narration in English Grammar
English grammar distinguishes between direct speech and indirect speech when reporting someone’s words. Understanding the differences between these two types of narration is essential for accurate and effective communication.
Direct Speech
Direct speech refers to quoting a person’s exact words. It’s like transcribing what someone says word-for-word, usually enclosed in quotation marks.
Characteristics:
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Exact words are used: There is no alteration in the speaker’s words.
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Quotation marks are used: The speaker’s words are placed inside quotation marks to set them apart.
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No changes to tense or pronouns: The tense and pronouns remain the same as in the original speech.
Example Sentences:
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Peter said, “I will attend the meeting tomorrow.”
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“Please don’t forget to lock the door,” said Ria.
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“Who is going to the party tonight?” asked Rekha.
In these examples, the speaker’s exact words are quoted directly. You’ll notice that there is no change in the verb tense or in pronouns like “I” or “you.”
Indirect Speech
Indirect speech (also known as reported speech) involves paraphrasing someone’s words. Instead of quoting them exactly, you rephrase the message in your own words. This form of narration is commonly used in writing, news reports, and conversations where you want to summarize what someone has said without repeating it verbatim.
Key Characteristics:
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Words are rephrased: The original message is paraphrased in a way that makes sense in the new context.
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Quotation marks are not used: Since you’re not quoting the exact words, no quotation marks are required.
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Tense and pronouns may change: When converting from direct speech to indirect speech, verbs typically change to past tense, and pronouns adjust to fit the reporting sentence.
Example Sentences:
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Peter said that he would attend the meeting the next day.
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Ria reminded us not to forget to lock the door.
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Rekha asked who was going to the party that night.
In these examples, the speaker’s exact words are rephrased. The pronouns and verb tenses are adjusted to fit the reporting sentence. Notice how the present tense “will” becomes the past tense “would,” and pronouns like “I” change to “he.”
Rules for Direct Speech Narration
When using direct speech, there are some basic rules that help ensure your sentences are grammatically correct:
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Quotation Marks: Always use quotation marks to enclose the exact words spoken by the person.
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Capitalization: The first word inside the quotation marks should always begin with a capital letter.
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Punctuation: If the reporting clause comes before the quoted speech, a comma should be used to separate the two parts.
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Reporting Verbs: Use verbs like said, asked, replied, or exclaimed to introduce the quoted speech.
Examples:
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She said, “I am going to the store now.”
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“What time does the meeting start?” he asked.
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“It’s a beautiful day,” said Emma.
Conversion from Direct to Indirect Speech
Converting direct speech to indirect speech involves certain rules that help maintain clarity and accuracy while changing the way the message is reported. Let’s look at the most important factors to consider when converting direct speech to indirect speech.
1. Change of Pronouns
In indirect speech, pronouns typically change to match the context of the sentence. This is because, when you report speech indirectly, you refer to the speaker in a way that makes sense in the new sentence structure.
Example:
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Direct Speech: She said, “I am going to the market.”
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Indirect Speech: She said that she was going to the market.
Here, the pronoun “I” changes to “she” because the speaker is being referred to from a third-person perspective.
2. Change of Verb Tense
Another crucial change when converting from direct to indirect speech is the verb tense. In most cases, the present tense in direct speech will change to the past tense in indirect speech.
Example:
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Direct Speech: He says, “I will finish the project by tomorrow.”
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Indirect Speech: He says that he would finish the project by tomorrow.
However, if the reporting verb is in the present tense (like “says”), the reported speech may not change its tense. Also, if the statement is universally true, the tense might not change.
Example:
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Direct Speech: She says, “The Earth is round.”
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Indirect Speech: She says that the Earth is round. (No tense change)
3. Changes in Adverbs of Time and Place
When converting direct speech to indirect speech, adverbs of time and place may also need to be changed to reflect the new context. Words like today, tomorrow, here, and now often change in indirect speech.
Example:
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Direct Speech: He said, “I will call you tomorrow.”
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Indirect Speech: He said that he would call me the next day.
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Direct Speech: She said, “I’m sitting here.”
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Indirect Speech: She said that she was sitting there.
Examples of Converting Direct to Indirect Speech
Let’s look at a few more examples of how direct speech can be converted into indirect speech, keeping in mind the changes to pronouns, verb tenses, and adverbs of time and place.
1. Statements
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Direct Speech: “I am going to the cinema,” she said.
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Indirect Speech: She said that she was going to the cinema.
2. Questions
When converting questions from direct to indirect speech, the structure changes slightly. In indirect speech, the question is not phrased as a question anymore, and often the word if or whether is used.
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Direct Speech: “Are you coming to the party?” he asked.
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Indirect Speech: He asked if I was coming to the party.
For WH-questions (questions starting with who, what, where, when, etc.), the word order changes too.
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Direct Speech: “Where do you live?” she asked.
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Indirect Speech: She asked where I lived.
3. Commands and Requests
When reporting commands or requests, we used to follow them with the verb in the base form.
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Direct Speech: “Please help me with this task,” he said.
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Indirect Speech: He asked me to help him with the task.
Common Mistakes in Narration
There are a few common errors that people often make when dealing with narration. Let’s explore some of them to help you avoid these mistakes.
1. Using Incorrect Tense Changes
One common mistake is failing to change the tense of the verb when converting direct speech to indirect speech. Remember, in most cases, verbs in the present tense need to change to the past tense in indirect speech.
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Incorrect: He says that he went to the market.
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Correct: He said that he went to the market.
2. Omitting ‘That’ in Indirect Speech
In some cases, people forget to include the word that in indirect speech. While the word can sometimes be omitted (especially in casual conversations), it is typically necessary to maintain clarity and grammatical correctness.
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Incorrect: He told me he would come.
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Correct: He told me that he would come.
3. Misplacing Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of time often need to be adjusted when converting from direct to indirect speech. Failing to make these adjustments can cause confusion.
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Incorrect: He said, “I will meet you next week.”
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Correct: He said that he would meet me the following week.
Common Exceptions and Variations
While most of the rules for direct and indirect speech are straightforward, there are some exceptions and variations to keep in mind:
1. No Tense Change in Certain Cases
If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the verb tense in the reported speech may not change. For example:
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Direct Speech: She says, “I will come later.”
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Indirect Speech: She says that she will come later.
This is an important exception to the general rule that requires verb tense changes.
2. Use of “That”
The word “that” is often optional in indirect speech, especially in informal speech. However, it is recommended to use “that” in formal writing to maintain clarity.
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Without “That”: He said he was leaving.
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With “That”: He said that he was leaving.
While omitting “that” is common in speech, including it in written communication improves readability and ensures proper structure.
20 Narration in English Grammar
Exercise 1: Fill in the blank with the correct form of direct or indirect speech.
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Direct Speech: “I am going to the market,” she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that she ______ (go) to the market. -
Direct Speech: “Can you help me with my homework?” asked John.
Indirect Speech: John asked if I ______ (help) him with his homework. -
Direct Speech: “I will call you tomorrow,” he said.
Indirect Speech: He said that he ______ (call) me the next day. -
Direct Speech: “We are leaving for vacation next week,” they said.
Indirect Speech: They said that they ______ (leave) for vacation the following week. -
Direct Speech: “She is studying for the exam,” he said.
Indirect Speech: He said that she ______ (study) for the exam.
Exercise 2: Change the following sentences from direct to indirect speech.
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Direct Speech: “I have finished my work,” she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that she ______ (finish) her work. -
Direct Speech: “Why are you so upset?” asked the teacher.
Indirect Speech: The teacher asked why I ______ (be) so upset. -
Direct Speech: “He plays football every weekend,” said Tom.
Indirect Speech: Tom said that he ______ (play) football every weekend. -
Direct Speech: “I love traveling,” she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that she ______ (love) traveling. -
Direct Speech: “I can’t believe it,” John said.
Indirect Speech: John said that he ______ (not believe) it.
Exercise 3: Choose the correct form for indirect speech.
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Direct Speech: “Do you want to go to the movies?” she asked.
Indirect Speech: She asked if I ______ (want) to go to the movies. -
Direct Speech: “He is always late,” they said.
Indirect Speech: They said that he ______ (be) always late. -
Direct Speech: “I will give you the report by Monday,” she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that she ______ (give) me the report by Monday. -
Direct Speech: “Can you come earlier tomorrow?” he asked.
Indirect Speech: He asked if I ______ (come) earlier tomorrow. -
Direct Speech: “I was playing when you called,” he said.
Indirect Speech: He said that he ______ (play) when I called.
Exercise 4: Change the direct speech to indirect speech by modifying the pronouns and verbs.
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Direct Speech: “I love my new job,” she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that she ______ (love) her new job. -
Direct Speech: “He didn’t finish his homework,” said the teacher.
Indirect Speech: The teacher said that he ______ (not finish) his homework. -
Direct Speech: “You can go home after the meeting,” she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that I ______ (go) home after the meeting. -
Direct Speech: “I don’t like this movie,” he said.
Indirect Speech: He said that he ______ (not like) that movie. -
Direct Speech: “I have been waiting for you for hours,” she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that she ______ (wait) for me for hours.
Answer:
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was going
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would help
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would call
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were leaving
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was studying
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had finished
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was
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played
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loved
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couldn’t believe
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wanted
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was
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would give
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would come
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was playing
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loved
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hadn’t finished
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could go
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didn’t like
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had been waiting
Conclusion: Mastering Narration in English Grammar
To conclude, mastering narration in English grammar is essential for clear and effective communication. Whether you are quoting someone’s words directly or rephrasing them in indirect speech, understanding the rules and nuances will help you narrate information accurately and fluently.
By practicing the techniques we discussed—converting direct to indirect speech, handling complex sentences, and using appropriate reporting verbs—you will improve both your written and spoken English. With these skills, you can effectively report speech, tell stories, and communicate complex ideas.
Keep practicing, and soon, narrating direct and indirect speech will feel natural. Whether you’re telling a story, summarizing information, or reporting conversations, narration is an indispensable tool in your English grammar toolkit.