Learn Narration Change for Optative Sentences with all rules, definitions, formulas, examples, and exercises. Before proceeding, we’ll learn optative sentences first.
Definition of Optative Sentences
These types of sentences contain the contents of pray, curse, or wish.
Examples of Sentences(Pray)
He said to us, “May you get success.”
Examples of Sentences(Curse)
He said, “May you not reach in time.”
Examples of Sentences(Wish)
She said, May I get first prize.”
Instructions for Narration Change for Optative Sentences
We’ll follow following instructions
Change said/said to etc according to reporting speech. Like:
If pray then Said to → Prayed for
Pray then Say to → Pray for
Pray then Says to → Prays for
If wish then Said to → Wished for
Wish then Say to → Wished for
Wish then Says to → Wished for
If regret then Said to → Wood that
If there is ‘ sign of exclamation’ at the end of the sentence, replace it with full stop.
If the reported speech expressing a wish, change said to with wishes and remove ‘wood that’.
Examples(Pray) for Narration Change for Optative Sentences
He said to me, “May your dream get true!”(Dir)
First, make it simple:
He said to me, “Your dream may get true!”(Dir)
Changes
said to ⇒ prayed for
commas ⇒ that
Your⇒ my
may⇒ might
!⇒ removed
He prayed for me that my dream might get true. (Ind)
Also Learn: Narration Change for Assertive Sentences | Narration Rules
More Examples
I said, “May you win the first prize!”(Dir)
I said, “You may win the first prize!”(Simple Dir)
I pray that he might win the first prize. (Ind)
The father said, “May my son pass the examination!”(Dir)
The father said, “My son may pass the examination!”(Simple Dir.)
The father prayed that his son might pass the examination. (Ind)
The mother said, “May my daughter make no mistake!”(Dir)
The mother said, “My daughter may make no mistake!”(Simple Dir.)
The mother wished/prayed that her daughter might make no mistake. (Ind)
You said to me, “May your business prosper!” (Dir)
You said to me, “Your business may prosper!” (Simple Dir.)
You prayed for me that my business might prosper. (Ind)
Examples(Curse)
He said, “May you forget the way.”(Dir)
First make it simple:
He said,”You may forget the way.”(Dir)
He said to me, “You may forget the way.”(Dir)
Changes
said to ⇒ prayed for
commas ⇒ that
You⇒ I
may⇒ might
He cursed me that I might forget the way. (Ind)
Example
She said, “May you go to hell!” (Dir)
She said, “You may go to hell!” (Simple Dir.)
She cursed that he might go to hell. (Ind)
Example
Similarly,
The beggar said angrily, “May you suffer a great loss!”(Dir)
The beggar said angrily, “You may suffer a great loss!”(Simple Dir)
The beggar cursed angrily that he might suffer a great loss. (Ind)
Examples(Wish):
He said, “Would that I were a captain.”(Dir)
Hesaid, “Would thatIwere a captain.”(Dir)
Changes
said ⇒ wished
commas ⇒ that
I⇒ he
were⇒ had been
Would that⇒ remove it
He wished that he had been a captain. (Ind)
Example:
Similarly,
They said, “Would that we were born with a silver spoon in his mouth!”(Dir)
They wished that they had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. (Ind)