Chapter 9: Change of Narration
Exercise 1 (Unsolved)
Change into Indirect Speech:
- She said to me, “I will go to Delhi next week.” — She told me that she would go to Delhi the following week.
- Rajan said to him, “I returned your book yesterday.” — Rajan told him that he had returned his book the previous day.
- My sister said to me, “I have to finish my work before 5 o’clock today.” — My sister told me that she had to finish her work before 5 o’clock that day.
- The teacher said to the students, “You must attend your classes regularly.” — The teacher told the students that they must attend their classes regularly.
- The stranger said to me, “I belong to Rajasthan.” — The stranger told me that he belonged to Rajasthan.
- The captain said to players, “In case of rain we will cancel the match.” — The captain told the players that in case of rain they would cancel the match.
- My friend said to me, “You can take my book if you want to study.” — My friend told me that I could take his book if I wanted to study.
- My neighbour said to me, “Someone has stolen my scooter.” — My neighbour told me that someone had stolen his scooter.
- His brother said to him, “I am going to watch a movie.” — His brother told him that he was going to watch a movie.
- Riya said to me, “I shall go to Chennai next week.” — Riya told me that she would go to Chennai the following week.
Exercise 2 (Unsolved)
Change into Indirect Speech:
- The shopkeeper said to the boy, “What do you want to buy?” — The shopkeeper asked the boy what he wanted to buy.
- The student said to the teacher, “Can you explain the sum again?” — The student asked the teacher if he could explain the sum again.
- The father said to his son, “Where have you kept my spectacles?” — The father asked his son where he had kept his spectacles.
- The teacher said to the student, “Why have you come late today?” — The teacher asked the student why he had come late that day.
- I said to him, “When are you shifting to your new house?” — I asked him when he was shifting to his new house.
- My father said to my sister, “Why have you not prepared your lessons?” — My father asked my sister why she had not prepared her lessons.
- He said to his guest, “Shall I make you a cup of tea?” — He offered to make his guest a cup of tea.
- The secretary said to the visitor, “Whom do you want to see?” — The secretary asked the visitor whom he wanted to see.
- He said to me, “Are you building a new house?” — He asked me whether I was building a new house.
- My uncle said to me, “When does the postman come every day?” — My uncle asked me when the postman came every day.
Exercise 3 (Unsolved)
Change into Indirect Speech:
1. The teacher said to the students, “Don’t make a noise.”
Answer: The teacher ordered the students not to make a noise.
2. She said to her father, “Let me buy the dress I want to.”
Answer: She asked her father to let her buy the dress she wanted to.
3. The Principal said to the boys, “Work hard if you want to succeed.”
Answer: The Principal advised the boys to work hard if they wanted to succeed.
4. My mother said to me, “Clean your room and arrange your books.”
Answer: My mother told me to clean my room and arrange my books.
5. The beggar said, “Please give me a rupee.”
Answer: The beggar requested someone to give him a rupee.
6. The leader said to his followers, “Let’s do something for our motherland.”
Answer: The leader proposed to his followers that they should do something for their motherland.
7. He said to his son, “Never tell a lie.”
Answer: He advised his son never to tell a lie.
8. The Principal said to the peon, “Bring that file to me.”
Answer: The Principal ordered the peon to bring that file to him.
9. The captain said to the soldiers, “Fire at the enemy.”
Answer: The captain ordered the soldiers to fire at the enemy.
10. My friend said to me, “Let’s play cricket.”
Answer: My friend suggested that we should play cricket.
Editorial note: Reporting verbs such as ordered, advised, requested and suggested are selected according to the intention of each imperative sentence.
Exercise 4 (Unsolved)
Change into Indirect Speech:
1. My brother said, “Hurrah! I have got the first rank in my class.”
Answer: My brother exclaimed with joy that he had got the first rank in his class.
2. He said, “Alas! I have lost my son.”
Answer: He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his son.
3. She said to me, “Good Heavens! You have come again.”
Answer: She exclaimed with surprise that I had come again.
4. He said to the boy, “Pooh! Pooh! What a dirty fellow you are!”
Answer: He exclaimed with contempt that the boy was a very dirty fellow.
5. The students said, “How difficult the question paper is!”
Answer: The students exclaimed that the question paper was very difficult.
6. She said to her son, “Hush! The baby is sleeping.”
Answer: She told her son quietly that the baby was sleeping.
7. My friend said to me, “How nice of you to have come.”
Answer: My friend exclaimed that it was very nice of me to have come.
8. She said, “Hurrah! My brother has won a lottery prize.”
Answer: She exclaimed with joy that her brother had won a lottery prize.
9. The boy said, “Oh! I have forgotten my book at home.”
Answer: The boy exclaimed with regret that he had forgotten his book at home.
10. I said, “What a tongue twister!”
Answer: I exclaimed that it was a very difficult tongue twister.
Exercise 5 (Unsolved)
Change the Narration:
1. I said to my friend, “May you get well soon!”
Answer: I wished my friend that he might get well soon.
2. My friend said to me, “Good luck to you!”
Answer: My friend wished me good luck.
3. John said, “O for a house to live in!”
Answer: John desired strongly to have a house to live in.
4. He said, “I wish I were the Prime Minister!”
Answer: He wished that he had been the Prime Minister.
5. My mother said to me, “May you get all the success in life!”
Answer: My mother wished that I might get all the success in life.
6. The blind man said, “May God bless you!”
Answer: The blind man prayed that God might bless me.
7. I said to my parents, “Good Night!”
Answer: I wished my parents good night.
8. The teacher said to the students, “May you all fare well in your examination!”
Answer: The teacher wished that all the students might fare well in their examination.
9. She said to her friend, “May you recover soon!”
Answer: She wished that her friend might recover soon.
10. He said, “O for a cup of tea!”
Answer: He desired strongly to have a cup of tea.
Editorial note: These are suggested answers. The reporting verbs wished, prayed and desired are used according to the meaning of each optative sentence.
Exercise 6 (Unsolved)
Change the Narration:
1. He said to me, “You can go now.”
Answer: He told me that I could go then.
2. Radha said, “I bought these books yesterday.”
Answer: Radha said that she had bought those books the previous day.
3. Priyanka said to me, “I lost my book last night.”
Answer: Priyanka told me that she had lost her book the previous night.
4. He said, “I have found a gold coin today.”
Answer: He said that he had found a gold coin that day.
5. She said to me, “I will wait for you here.”
Answer: She told me that she would wait for me there.
6. Pratibha said to her friend, “I should go back home now.”
Answer: Pratibha told her friend that she should go back home then.
7. The servant says to his master, “The dinner is ready.”
Answer: The servant tells his master that the dinner is ready.
8. Nehru said, “The Ganga has been a symbol of India’s culture.”
Answer: Nehru said that the Ganga had been a symbol of India’s culture.
9. The teacher said to the students, “You should obey your parents.”
Answer: The teacher advised the students that they should obey their parents.
10. He said to the doctor, “There is no hope for him unless you treat him.”
Answer: He told the doctor that there was no hope for him unless the doctor treated him.
Exercise 7 (Unsolved)
Change the Narration:
1. The tourist said to the guide, “How long does it take to reach Manali?”
Answer: The tourist asked the guide how long it took to reach Manali.
2. He said to me, “Shall I help you?”
Answer: He asked me if he should help me.
3. I said to him, “When are you coming to my home?”
Answer: I asked him when he was coming to my home.
4. The daughter said to her mother, “What have you prepared in lunch?”
Answer: The daughter asked her mother what she had prepared for lunch.
5. He said to his neighbour, “Who has spoiled my garden?”
Answer: He asked his neighbour who had spoiled his garden.
6. She said to me, “Do you know the way to railway station?”
Answer: She asked me if I knew the way to the railway station.
7. I said to him, “What have you got as your birthday gift?”
Answer: I asked him what he had got as his birthday gift.
8. She said to me, “Why did you hurt my brother?”
Answer: She asked me why I had hurt her brother.
9. My friend said to me, “Are you looking for a new job?”
Answer: My friend asked me whether I was looking for a new job.
10. Amit said to his brother, “How did you fare in your final examination?”
Answer: Amit asked his brother how he had fared in his final examination.
Exercise 8 — Change the Narration
1. He said to me, “You have no liking for poetry.”
Answer: He told me that I had no liking for poetry.
2. She said, “May God bless the new born baby!”
Answer: She prayed that God might bless the newborn baby.
3. I said to him, “Did you go to school today?”
Answer: I asked him if he had gone to school that day.
4. The boys screamed, “Bravo! It is a big hit!”
Answer: The boys exclaimed with approval that it was a big hit.
5. The boy said to his mother, “Let me play for some time.”
Answer: The boy asked his mother to let him play for some time.
6. He said to her, “Are you well?”
Answer: He asked her whether she was well.
7. She said, “You mustn’t break your promise.”
Answer: She said that I must not break my promise.
8. The officer said to his men, “Attack the enemy.”
Answer: The officer ordered his men to attack the enemy.
9. The teacher asked her why she was late.
Answer: The teacher asked her, “Why are you late?”
10. He said to me, “Let him play cunningly, he will not be able to defeat you.”
Answer: He told me that however cunningly he might play, he would not be able to defeat me.
Exercise 9 — Change the Narration
1. Mother said, “Go ahead and do well in life.”
Answer: Mother encouraged me to go ahead and do well in life.
2. He said, “Do it at once.”
Answer: He ordered me to do it at once.
3. You said to us, “Why were they quarrelling at night?”
Answer: You asked us why they had been quarrelling at night.
4. Her sister said, “How stupid you are!”
Answer: Her sister exclaimed that I was very stupid.
5. He said, “I must win the prize.”
Answer: He said that he had to win the prize.
6. Sonam said to her mother, “Where are the keys?”
Answer: Sonam asked her mother where the keys were.
7. We wished them success in life.
Answer: We said to them, “May you succeed in life!”
8. The Fox said, “How clever I am!”
Answer: The Fox exclaimed that he was very clever.
9. The Principal said to the students, “You should always respect your teachers.”
Answer: The Principal advised the students always to respect their teachers.
10. “What a lovely flower!” I said.
Answer: I exclaimed that it was a very lovely flower.
Exercise 10 — Change the Narration
1. I said to her, “Are you comfortable now?”
Answer: I asked her if she was comfortable then.
2. He said to me, “You can trust me.”
Answer: He told me that I could trust him.
3. He said to Sonam, “Whose car is that?”
Answer: He asked Sonam whose car that was.
4. Money said to Simmy, “I am going to Jaipur tomorrow.”
Answer: Money told Simmy that he was going to Jaipur the following day.
5. Manav said to Hari, “Please lend me some money.”
Answer: Manav requested Hari to lend him some money.
6. I said to him, “Let us go to the cinema tonight.”
Answer: I suggested to him that we should go to the cinema that night.
7. He said to me, “Let me know if I can do something for you.”
Answer: He asked me to let him know if he could do something for me.
8. The officer said, “March forward, boys.”
Answer: The officer ordered the boys to march forward.
9. The Guru said, “Do good and expect nothing in return.”
Answer: The Guru advised people to do good and expect nothing in return.
10. He said, “If he were a king!”
Answer: He wished that he had been a king.
Exercise 11 — Change the Narration
1. She said to him, “Where are you staying?”
Answer: She asked him where he was staying.
2. I said to my secretary, “Don’t disturb me.”
Answer: I told my secretary not to disturb me.
3. Mother said to her, “Why don’t you finish your meals quickly?”
Answer: Mother asked her why she did not finish her meals quickly.
4. He said to the teacher, “Don’t blame me, Sir.”
Answer: He requested the teacher not to blame him.
5. I said, “Good bye, friends.”
Answer: I bade farewell to my friends.
6. “You are a coward”, said the girl.
Answer: The girl said that I was a coward.
7. Yoga teacher said, “Take a deep breath.”
Answer: The yoga teacher instructed us to take a deep breath.
8. The manager said to the waiter, “Shut up.”
Answer: The manager ordered the waiter to shut up.
9. “Alas! I have no money”, said the gambler.
Answer: The gambler exclaimed with sorrow that he had no money.
10. She said, “May I go home, Sir?”
Answer: She asked the teacher if she might go home.
Exercise 12 — Change the Narration
1. I said to her, “Does that book belong to you?”
Answer: I asked her if that book belonged to her.
2. He said to me, “When is your last paper?”
Answer: He asked me when my last paper was.
3. I said to her, “Have you learnt your lesson?”
Answer: I asked her whether she had learnt her lesson.
4. She said to me, “I can help you in studies.”
Answer: She told me that she could help me in studies.
5. His friend said to him, “You must work hard for success.”
Answer: His friend told him that he had to work hard for success.
6. I asked her where she had been missing.
Answer: I said to her, “Where have you been missing?”
7. The old woman said, “God be with you, my child.”
Answer: The old woman prayed that God might be with her child.
8. Children said to her, “Good morning, madam.”
Answer: The children wished her good morning.
9. His wife said to him, “Good night darling, I am going to sleep now.”
Answer: His wife wished him good night and said that she was going to sleep then.
10. She said to me, “Let’s not run after the wealth.”
Answer: She suggested to me that we should not run after wealth.
Exercise 13 — Change the Narration
1. The teacher said to the boys, “Are you ready for the test?”
Answer: The teacher asked the boys if they were ready for the test.
2. She said to her friend, “Where should I wait for you?”
Answer: She asked her friend where she should wait for him.
3. The bus conductor said, “Come inside, Sir.”
Answer: The bus conductor requested the gentleman to come inside.
4. I said, “Hurrah! My buddy has won.”
Answer: I exclaimed with joy that my buddy had won.
5. The officer said, “Get ready for a long race.”
Answer: The officer ordered them to get ready for a long race.
6. She said, “I wish I were the Prime Minister of India!”
Answer: She wished that she had been the Prime Minister of India.
7. Bose said to the volunteers, “Give me blood and I will get you freedom.”
Answer: Bose urged the volunteers to give him blood and promised that he would get them freedom.
8. He said to his boss, “Forgive my mistakes, Sir.”
Answer: He requested his boss to forgive his mistakes.
9. I said to the boy, “Get me a glass of water.”
Answer: I asked the boy to get me a glass of water.
10. The old man said, “Farewell, my son.”
Answer: The old man bade farewell to his son.
Exercise 14 — Change the Narration
1. Rosy said to her mother, “I will come on Monday.”
Answer: Rosy told her mother that she would come on Monday.
2. She said to the peon, “Do you know when the Principal will come?”
Answer: She asked the peon if he knew when the Principal would come.
3. Surabhi said to her niece, “I am busy today.”
Answer: Surabhi told her niece that she was busy that day.
4. Prabhjot said to the child, “You better see the doctor now.”
Answer: Prabhjot advised the child to see the doctor then.
5. I said, “Will you be quiet for sometime?”
Answer: I asked them if they would be quiet for some time.
6. Farzana said, “I must go soon.”
Answer: Farzana said that she had to go soon.
7. Anurag said, “I like this story,”
Answer: Anurag said that he liked that story.
8. Bindu said, “I wish I could help you.”
Answer: Bindu said that she wished she could help me.
9. Varinder said, “Did she like the movie?”
Answer: Varinder asked if she had liked the movie.
10. Deepak said, “It’s a great idea to see the play today.”
Answer: Deepak remarked that it was a great idea to see the play that day.
Exercise 15 — Change the Narration
1. Sachin said, “I don’t want to play anymore.”
Answer: Sachin said that he did not want to play any longer.
2. “What is going in your mind?” Geeta said to her brother.
Answer: Geeta asked her brother what was going on in his mind.
3. He reminded me that he would meet me the next day.
Answer: He said to me, “I will meet you tomorrow.”
4. She says, “I will be a lawyer when I grow up.”
Answer: She says that she will be a lawyer when she grows up.
5. Pardeep said, “If I were rich, I would travel a lot.”
Answer: Pardeep said that if he had been rich, he would have travelled a lot.
6. She remarked, “I needn’t hurry now.”
Answer: She remarked that she need not hurry then.
7. Samay said, “Do you know French?”
Answer: Samay asked me if I knew French.
8. He said, “My coffee is too cold.”
Answer: He said that his coffee was too cold.
9. Her teacher said, “Don’t talk so fast.”
Answer: Her teacher advised her not to talk so fast.
10. The teacher asked me where I had been.
Answer: The teacher said to me, “Where had you been?”