NARRATION
NARRATION RULES
(DIRECT/INDIRECT)
5 English Sentences Types:
1. Declarative Sentences (Statement – Positive & Negative)
2. Interrogative Sentences (Question)
3. Imperative Sentences (Request & Command)
4. Exclamatory Sentences ( Exclamation or Emotion)
5. Optative Sentences (Wish, Pray, Curse)
Set rules for all types of sentences
RULE#01: Verb Backshift
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
Present Simple (do, does, look) Past simple (did, looked)
Present Continuous (am, is, Past Continuous (was, were)
are)
Present Perfect (has, have) Past Perfect (had)
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
(has been, have been) (had been)
Past Simple (did, went) Past Perfect (had, had gone)
Past Continuous (was, were) Past Perfect Continuous (had been)
DIRECT INDIRECT
Can Could
Will Would
May Might
Have to Had to
Must Must/Had
No Backshift
Could Could
Would Would
Might Might
Should Should
Ought to Ought to
Page 1 of 6
, NARRATION
Past Perfect (had gone) Past Perfect (had gone)
Past Perfect Past Perfect Continuous
Conti9nuous (had been)
(had been)
RULE#02: Change the Pronouns
1st Person(I, We): Will change according to SUBJECT of reporting
speech.
2nd Person(You): Will change according to
OBJECT of reporting speech. Trick to remember Rule#02:
3rd Person(He, She, It, They): NO change. Formula:
NOTE: If there is no object in reporting
1 -2- 3
speech consider it as “Me"
Example: S- O-N
Direct Speech:
Maria said “You enjoy working in your garden.”
Indirect Speech:
Maria said that I enjoyed working in my garden.
RULE#03: Change Time and Place
Related Words
DIRECT INDIRECT
Now Then, At that time, At the time
Today That day
Here There
This That
Ago Before, earlier
Tonight That night
Yesterday The day before, The previous day
Tomorrow The day after, The next day, The following
Page 2 of 6
NARRATION RULES
(DIRECT/INDIRECT)
5 English Sentences Types:
1. Declarative Sentences (Statement – Positive & Negative)
2. Interrogative Sentences (Question)
3. Imperative Sentences (Request & Command)
4. Exclamatory Sentences ( Exclamation or Emotion)
5. Optative Sentences (Wish, Pray, Curse)
Set rules for all types of sentences
RULE#01: Verb Backshift
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
Present Simple (do, does, look) Past simple (did, looked)
Present Continuous (am, is, Past Continuous (was, were)
are)
Present Perfect (has, have) Past Perfect (had)
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
(has been, have been) (had been)
Past Simple (did, went) Past Perfect (had, had gone)
Past Continuous (was, were) Past Perfect Continuous (had been)
DIRECT INDIRECT
Can Could
Will Would
May Might
Have to Had to
Must Must/Had
No Backshift
Could Could
Would Would
Might Might
Should Should
Ought to Ought to
Page 1 of 6
, NARRATION
Past Perfect (had gone) Past Perfect (had gone)
Past Perfect Past Perfect Continuous
Conti9nuous (had been)
(had been)
RULE#02: Change the Pronouns
1st Person(I, We): Will change according to SUBJECT of reporting
speech.
2nd Person(You): Will change according to
OBJECT of reporting speech. Trick to remember Rule#02:
3rd Person(He, She, It, They): NO change. Formula:
NOTE: If there is no object in reporting
1 -2- 3
speech consider it as “Me"
Example: S- O-N
Direct Speech:
Maria said “You enjoy working in your garden.”
Indirect Speech:
Maria said that I enjoyed working in my garden.
RULE#03: Change Time and Place
Related Words
DIRECT INDIRECT
Now Then, At that time, At the time
Today That day
Here There
This That
Ago Before, earlier
Tonight That night
Yesterday The day before, The previous day
Tomorrow The day after, The next day, The following
Page 2 of 6
