NARRATION -COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE (with solutions)

 

NARRATION--  Direct and Indirect Forms of Speech

COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS-Exercises for Practice 

Human beings through language express their feelings and describe their observations. There are two ways to express things. The words saying in the same form as speaker said is called Direct form of Narration. It is written in inverted commas. The other mode is when one expresses the statement in one's own words. It is called Indirect form of speech. The change from one form to another 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 select and mark the correct option as its answer. 


The answer is to be selected from the options only. For this, one has to select the nearest correct option though it may be with a little deviation from rules even. Besides, the sense and meaning and sense conveyed by the sentence is important. So while attempting such questions, an approach of understanding alongwith application of rules is required.

For such sentences method of 'elimination and selection' of given options is used. First of all the options which do not fit into the 🖼️ of rules are eliminated. In case of similar appearing options check whether changes are as per rules.  Persons and tense of 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 do not change and these remains intact.

Here follow a few examples. The sentences are given with options of possible answer. Out of the given options the correct option is to be selected as answer.

These sentences are on the pattern of questions from various recent competitive examination question papers.

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

1. He said,"She is a very good orator. Isn't she?"

1. He said that she was a very good orator and asked if she was not.

2. He informed that she was a very good orator.

3. He confirmed whether she was a very good orator or not.

4. He declared that she was a very good orator.

2. The policeman told us the way that could lead us to our destination in the shortest time. 

1. The policeman said to us,"This is the way that can lead you to your destination in the shortest time."

2. The policeman said to us,"That was the way that could lead you to your destination in the shortest time."

3. The policeman said to us," There is the way that can lead you to your destination in the shortest time."

4. The policeman said to us, "Here is the way leading you to your destination in the shortest time."

3. The officer said to the cashier, "I authorise you to collect money from the treasury office and pay it to the customer."

1. The officer said to the cashier and authorised him to collect money from the treasury office and paid it to the customer.

2. The officer told the cashier authorising him to collect money from the treasury office and to pay it to the customer.

3.The officer authorised to the cashier to collect money from the treasury office and paid it to the customer.

4.The officer authorised the cashier to collect money from the treasury office and pay it to the customer.

4. She said, " My friend, let me finish my work first, please."

1. She told her friend that she be let to finish her work first.

2. She requested her friend to let her finish her work first.

3. She requested her friend that she might be 

    allowed to  finish her work first.

4. She requested her friend that she be allowed to finish

    her work first. 

5. The master reminded his servant that he had told him many          times not to disturb him when he was working

    in his office.

1. The master said to his servant," I have said to you many times not to disturb me when I work in my office." 

2.The master said to his servant," I said to you many times not to disturb me when I worked in my office."

3..The master said to his servant," I have said to you many times not to disturb me when I am working in my office."

4.The master said to his servant," I have said to you many times not to disturb me when I was working in my office."

6.The notice board hanging in the garden reads, "Do not pluck flowers, violators will be prosecuted."

1.The notice board hanging in the garden reads prohibiting people to pluck flowers and cautions violators to be prosecuted.

2.The notice board hanging in the garden  prohibits people from plucking flowers and cautions violators against prosecution.

3.The notice board hanging in the garden forbade people to pluck flowers and cautions violators would be prosecuted.

4.The notice board hanging in the garden read and forbade people to pluck flowers and cautioned violators would be prosecuted.

7.The captain encouraged his team mates and assured them that they would win the match the next day.

1.The captain said to his team mates, "Cheer up!, you will surely win the match tomorrow."  

2.The captain said," "Cheer up!, my team mates, you are sure to win the match tomorrow."

3.The captain encouraging his team mates said," Be sure you will win the match tomorrow."

4. The captain encouraged his team mates and said,"You are sure to win the match tomorrow."  

8."Mother" said the girl gently," I request you to be quick lest we should be late."

1. The girl requested humbly to her mother to be quick lest they should be late.

2. The girl requested her mother humbly to be quick lest they should be late.

3. The girl requested and told her mother humbly to be quick lest they should be late.

4. The girl told her mother humbly that she requested her to be quick lest they should be late.

9. The lady shouted in a loud voice at the boy," You are telling a lie. Aren't you ?"

1. The lady shouting  at the boy enquired from him if he was telling a lie.

2 The lady shouted at the boy confirmed from him if he was telling a lie.

3. The lady by shouting  at the boy enquires from him if he is telling a lie.

4. The lady shouted  at the boy and asked from him whether he was telling a lie.

10.The officer said," By Heaven! I am innocent. I have not taken any money from the client."

1 The officer called upon Heaven to witness, expressed his innocence and told that he had not taken any money from the client.

2. The officer prayed to  Heaven and expressing his innocence told that he had not taken any money from the client.

3. The officer requested Heaven to witness, expressed his innocence and told that he had not taken any money from the client.

4. The officer prayed to Heaven to witness, expressed his innocence and told that he did not take any money from the client.

11.The old man said," I visualise the risk involved in it. Don't take it lightly. Be vigilant, my son!"

1.The old man visualised the risk involved in that and advised his son not to take that lightly and be vigilant.

2.The old man cautioned his son that as he visualised the risk involved in that he should not to take that lightly and be vigilant.

3.The old man told his son that he visualises the risk involved in that and advised him not to take that lightly and be vigilant.

4.The old man cautioned his son that he visualised the risk involved in that and advised his son not to take that lightly and to be vigilant.

ANSWERS

1.(3 ) 2.(1 )3.( 4 )4.(3)5.(3) 6. ( 2 ) 7. ( 2 ) 8. ( 2 ) 9. ( 1 ).

10. (1). 11. (4).