Narration Change Class 8 Rules with Examples and Exercises Worksheet

Narration change, also known as reported speech or indirect speech, is a linguistic phenomenon where the words spoken by one person (the speaker) are relayed or reported by another person (the reporter). In narration change, the original speaker’s words are not quoted directly but are instead paraphrased or summarized.

There are two main types of narration: direct speech and indirect speech.

1. Direct Speech:
   • In direct speech, the exact words spoken by the person are enclosed in quotation marks.
   • Example: She said, “I am going to the store.”
2. Indirect Speech (Narration Change):
   • In indirect speech, the reporter conveys the meaning of the original speaker’s words without quoting them directly. This often involves changes in pronouns, verb tenses, and other elements.
   • Example: She said that she was going to the store.

In the process of narration change, certain rules are applied, such as adjusting pronouns, changing verb tenses, and modifying time expressions. This is done to maintain coherence and convey the original speaker’s message accurately.

Let’s go through the rules, examples, and exercises for changing narration in the English language for Class 8 students.

Narration Rules Chart

Rules for Changing Narration:

1. Change of Pronouns:

• If the reporting verb is in the past tense, pronouns in the reported speech are also changed accordingly.
• Examples:
  • Direct: She said, “I am going to the market.”
  • Indirect: She said that she was going to the market.

2. Change of Time Expressions:

• Time expressions change according to the context and tense of the reporting verb.
• Examples:
  • Direct: He said, “I will come tomorrow.”
  • Indirect: He said that he would come the next day.

3. Change of Tense:

• Present Simple in direct speech changes to past simple in indirect speech.
• Present Continuous changes to past continuous, and so on.
• Examples:
  • Direct: She said, “I study English.”
  • Indirect: She said that she studied English.

4. Change of Reporting Verb:

• The reporting verb may change according to the context.
• Examples:
  • Direct: The teacher said, “Be quiet!”
  • Indirect: The teacher ordered us to be quiet.

5. Omission of Quotation Marks:

• In indirect speech, quotation marks are not used.
• Examples:
  • Direct: He said, “I love this book.”
  • Indirect: He said that he loved that book.

Narration Change Rules for Tense:

1. Present Simple to Past Simple:
   • Direct: She says, “I love chocolate.”
   • Indirect: She said that she loved chocolate.
2. Present Continuous to Past Continuous:
   • Direct: They are playing football.
   • Indirect: They said that they were playing football.
3. Present Perfect to Past Perfect:
   • Direct: He has finished his homework.
   • Indirect: He said that he had finished his homework.
4. Past Simple to Past Perfect:
   • Direct: I visited Paris last year.
   • Indirect: She said that she had visited Paris the previous year.
5. Past Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous:
   • Direct: We were studying for hours.
   • Indirect: They said that they had been studying for hours.
6. Future Simple to Conditional:
   • Direct: She will come tomorrow.
   • Indirect: She said that she would come the next day.
7. Future Continuous to Conditional Continuous:
   • Direct: I will be working late.
   • Indirect: He said that he would be working late.
8. Future Perfect to Conditional Perfect:
   • Direct: They will have completed the project by then.
   • Indirect: They said that they would have completed the project by then.

Remember, these tense changes are essential for maintaining the coherence and accuracy of reported speech. Practice with various sentences to master the skill of changing tense in narration.

Narration change exercise Worksheet