Learn Narration Change for Imperative Sentences to Indirect Speech followed by definitions, rules, tricks, examples, and exercise.
How do we change imperative sentences to indirect speech?
Imperative Sentences
The sentences which are consisted of order, request, advice, or prohibition, called Imperative Sentences. Remember, there is no subject in these types of sentences.
Sentence Examples
The teacher said, “Bring the glass of water.”
Aamir said to me, “Please give me a pen.”
He said to Babar, “Say your prayers.”
I said, “Do not tell a lie.”
Changes 1
Change ‘said to’ according to reporting speech. It means:
If the order is given in the sentence, change ‘said to’ to ‘order’.
If request is made then change (said to) to requested.
If there is an advice is made, change to advised.
Finaly, change ‘said to’ to forbade if anything is prohibited.
Replace comma with ‘to’ and place first form of the verb very after ‘to’. Remove the words like please, kindly, etc.
In negative sentences, change ‘do not’ to ‘to not’.
Also Learn: Narration Change in Tenses | Narration Rules
Examples (Ordered) Narration Change for Imperative Sentences
He said to me, “Write a letter right and check me.”(Dir)
He said to me, “Write a letter and check.”(Dir)
So, changes will be as:
said to⇒ ordered
commas ⇒ to
me⇒
Write⇒ Write
check⇒ check (to)
He ordered me to write a letter and check him. (Ind)
Examples (Requested)
Shahzad said to the teacher, “Give me a leave for tomorrow.”(Dir)
said to⇒ requested
Commas ⇒ to
me ⇒ him
Change tomorrow ⇒ the next day
Shahzad requested the teacher to give him leave for the next day. (Ind)
Examples (Advised) Narration Change for Imperative Sentences
The old man said to us, “Drink the water in three breaths.”(Dir)
The old man said to us, “Drink the water in three breaths.”(Dir)
said to⇒ advised
Commas ⇒ to
Finally,
The old man advised us to drink water in three breaths. (Ind)
Examples (Forbade)
Aslam said to them, “Do not throw garbage in the streets.”(Dir)
Aslam said to them, “Do not throw garbage in the streets.”(Dir)
Now,
said to forbade
Do not⇒ not to
Aslam forbade them not to throw garbage in the streets. (Ind)
Use of Let
In indirect speech, we make the use of let for two types of sentences for:
- Proposal
- Permission
For Proposal: Said to/ said will be changed to proposed/suggested. The commas will be replaced with “that”. Furthermore, add “should” after the subject of reported speech.
Secondly, change “us” with the subject of reporting speech because “us” is the first person and remember, after changing “us” the resultant must be in the subjective case.
Example No. 1
He said to them, “Let us clean the floor.”(Dir)
He said to them, “Let us clean the floor.”(Dir)
Now, applying changes:
said to⇒ proposed/suggested
Commas⇒ that
Let ⇒ should
us ⇒ they(subjective case)
He proposed them they should clean the floor. (Ind)
Example No. 2
She said, “Let us play cricket.”(Dir)
She said, “Let us play cricket.”(Dir)
said to⇒ proposed/suggested
Commas⇒ that
Let ⇒ should
us ⇒ they(subjective case)
She proposed that they should play cricket. (Ind)
For Permission: “said to / said will be changed to requested and commas will be replaced with “to”.
Also Learn: Narration Change for Interrogatives | Narration Rules
Example No.3
He said, “Let me go home.”(Dir)
Firstly,
He said, “Let me go home.”(Dir)
said⇒ requested
Commas⇒ to
me ⇒ him
He requested to let him go home. (Ind)
Example No. 4
They said to us, “Let them lend some money.”(Dir)
Firstly,
They said to us, “Let them lend some money.”(Dir)
said⇒ requested
Commas⇒ to
them⇒ third person no change
They requested to let them lend some money. (Ind)