NARRATION -COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE (with solutions)

NARRATION--  DIRECT AND INDIRECT FORMS OF SPEECH

COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS-EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE

Language is the most effective system for communication created by humans. It records and describes every activity performed by humans, establishing very succinctly the truth of the adage "mind over matter". When we use language we are constantly transforming matter into words through the help of sounds. It comprises of a series of responses ranging from instruction, order, request and reprimand.   

There are two forms of speech  i.e. Direct form of speech and Indirect form of speech. Change from one form to another form is  called Change of Narration. In Competitive examinations there are questions relating to Narration i.e. to change sentences from one form to another form of speech. There are different types of questions. One of the latest trends of these is as follows.

A given sentence is  required to be changed from direct to indirect  form of speech or vice versa with four or five options given as its answer. The candidate is required to mark the correct option as its answer. 

These sentences are  sometimes with a little deviation from the rules applicable to these.

The answer is to be selected from the options only. For this the approach is to select the nearest correct option however it may be with a 
little deviation of rules even. Besides, the sense 
and meaning  conveyed by the sentence is of more importance. So an approach of understanding rather than that of rules is required while attempting these questions.

While  solving such sentences method of 'elimination and selection' of given options should be used. First of all eliminate the options which are not correct according to rules. In case of similar appearing options check whether proper changes are made as per rules.  Persons and verbs are changed in reported speech according to the reporting speech. Verb in reporting speech is changed appropriately. Interrogative, imperative and exclamatory sentences are properly changed. These are a few tips to be used to solve these questions


 While making these changes one must keep in mind that the sense and meaning of the sentence does not change and the same remains intact.

Here follow a few sentences with options given as their answers. The correct answer is to be selected out of those options.

These sentences are from various competitive examination question papers as seen on internet.

Change the narration of following sentences and mark the correct option out of  given options as your answer.

1. The candidate said to the officer," Thank you, sir, for calling me. I was waiting for this you call as I expected it much earlier." 

a)  The candidate told the officer thanks for calling him because he had been waiting for this call as he was expecting it much earlier.
b)  The candidate after thanking the officer for calling told him that he had been waiting for this call as he had expected that much earlier.
c)  The candidate respectfully told the officer thank him for calling him and further told that he had been waiting for this call as he was expecting it much earlier.
d)  The candidate respectfully thanked  the officer  for calling him and told him that he had been waiting for that call as he had expected that much earlier.

2. She said to her servant," I  will not tolerate your ways anymore. If you do not mend your ways I will dismiss you."

a) She told her servant that she would not tolerate her ways any more and threatened her if she did not mend her ways she would dismiss her.
b) She told her servant that she could not tolerate her ways any more and if she did not mend her ways she would dismiss her. 
c) She cautioned her servant that she will not tolerate her ways any more and if she did not mend her ways she would dismiss her.
d) She ordered her servant that she would not tolerate her ways any more and  if she did not mend her ways she would dismiss her.

3. " Sir",  the candidate cried to the examiner, " please tell me how much time is left for the examination to be over." 

a) The candidate respectfully requested  the examiner that he should tell him how much time had been leftover for the examination  being over.

b) The candidate requested  the examiner with respect and asked him to tell him how much time was left for the examination to be over.
c) The candidate respectfully  asked  the examiner to tell him how much time was left for the examination to be over.
d) The candidate respectfully pleaded with the examiner to tell him how much time was left for the examination to be over.

4. " Res   t assured !" said the young man to the lady, " Believe upon me, I shall not desert you."

a) The young man assured the lady calling her to believe upon him and told her that he would not desert her.
b) The young man assured the lady and told her that she should believe upon him and told her that he would not desert her.
c) The young man told the lady to believe upon him and assured her that he would not desert her.
d) The young man assured the lady to believe upon him and told that he should not desert her.

5. She said,"When I was young, I was not afraid of ghosts."

a) She said that when she was young, she was not afraid of ghosts.
b) She said that when she was young, she had  not been afraid of ghosts.
c) She said that when she had been young, she was not afraid of ghosts.
d) She said that when she had been young, she did not afraid of ghosts.

6. "Help! Help! Help! "  She cried, "the thief has taken away my purse."

a) She repeatedly called for help and told that the thief had taken away her purse.
b) She shouted to help her and told that the thief had taken away my purse.
c) She cried to the people to  help her telling that the thief had taken away her purse.
d) She spoke loudly to help her and cried that the thief had taken away her purse.

7."Fie!"said the teacher," you fared so badly in the examination, young man."

a) The teacher said fie to the young man and exclaimed that fared so badly in the examination. .
b) The teacher cursed the young man saying fie and told that he had fared so badly in the examination. .
c) The teacher cursed the young man and exclaimed that he had fared so badly in the examination. .
d) The teacher called  the young man with a curse and exclaimed that he had fared so badly in the examination. 

8."Friends! said Lucy,"Would you like to accompany me to go out for a morning walk tomorrow?"

a) Lucy asked her friends if they would like accompanying  her go out for a morning walk tomorrow.
b) Lucy asked her friends if they had liked to accompany her while going out for a morning walk the next day.
c) Lucy asked her friends if they liked to accompany her  going out for a morning walk the next day.
d) Lucy asked her friends if they would like to accompany her to go out for a morning walk the next day.

9. Shylock said," Come what may, I shall go to the worst and take my revenge on him." 

a) Shylock pledged that he would go to any extent and take his revenge on him under all circumstances.

b) Shylock said what  might come, he would go to the worst and take his revenge on him.

c) Shylock told what might happen he should take his revenge on him under all circumstances.

d) Shylock exclaimed what might come he will take his revenge on him by going to the worst.

  

10. Each one of her friends said,"  Do not lose heart. Have courage. Let us wait and see. You are sure to win, Alice."

a) Each one of her friends told Alice to not lose heart and have courage. They further suggested her that they should wait to see and they were sure to win. 

b) Each one of her friends advised Alice that she should  not lose heart and have courage. They also suggested that she should wait and see that was sure to win. 

c) Each one of her friends advised Alice not to lose heart and have courage. They further suggested that they should wait and see as she was sure to win. 

d) Each one of her friends proposed to Alice not to lose heart and have courage. They further asked her to wait and see as she was sure to win. 

11. " I didn't take my food so far. Did you?" said her mother.

a) Her mother asked her if she had taken her food as she had not so far.
b) Her mother said that she had not taken her food so far and if she had.
c) Her mother told her that she had not taken her food so far and asked if she had. 
d) Her mother told that she had not been taken her food so far and added if she had.

12. " I expect all the workers well in time in the office in the morning. I shall penalise the defaulter if there is any." said the officer.

  a). The officer told the workers that he expected all of them well in time in the office in the morning and he would penalise the defaulter if there is any.    

b). The officer expected all the workers well in time in the office in the morning and said that he would penalise the defaulter if there is any.     

c). The officer suggested to  the workers that he expected all of them well in time in the office in the morning and he would penalise the defaulter if there is any.     

d). The officer said that he expected all the workers well in time in the office in the morning and warned that he would penalise the defaulter if there is any.    



13. "Let him work ever so hard, he cannot pass the examination. I doubt he has ever been serious about his studies," said
the teacher.


a). The teacher said that he could not pass the examination however hard he might work and he expressed his doubt if he had ever been serious about his studies.

b). The teacher suggested that he could not pass the examination he might ever work hard  and he doubted that he had ever been serious about his studies. 

c). The teacher told that he can not pass the examination he might work so hard and he further added that he doubted he had ever been serious about his studies. 

d). The teacher exclaimed that he could not pass the examination even if he might work hard and he showed his doubt that he had ever been serious about his studies. 

14 "No, I've not committed any mistake. By Heavens ! I have been implicated falsely in this case. I pledge to defend myself to the last." rued the young man.

a).The young man told that he had not committed any mistake. He swore by Heavens  and told that he had been implicated falsely in that case. He had pledged to defend himself to the last. 

b) The young man denied that he had committed any mistake. He called upon Heavens to witness and told that he had been implicated falsely in that case. He pledged to defend himself to the last. 

c).The young man refused to have committed any mistake. He said by Heavens  and told that he was implicated falsely in that case. He said that he pledged to defend himself to the last. 

d).The young man. declared that he had not  committed any mistake. He said by Heavens and told that he had been implicated falsely in that case. He further told that he pledged to defend himself to the last. 

15. Her father has said to her" If you do not agree with me, you can make your own choice."

a).Her father said her if she did not agree with him she could make her own choice.

a).Her father has suggested her if she did not agree with him she could make her own choice.

c).Her father asked her if she did not agree with him she should make her own choice.

d).Her father has told her that if she does not agree with him she can make her own choice.

ANSWERS : 1.d ) 2.a)   3.d)  4. c)  5.a)   6.a) 7. c) 8.d)  9. a)  10.c) 11. c) 12. d)  13.a) 14. b) 15. d )