Introduction
Direct/Indirect (Reported) Narration questions ask you to convert between quoted and reported speech. SSC Stenographer asks 1–2 such items per paper. The rules are formulaic — apply tense backshift, pronoun shift, and time/place adverb shift. After this lesson you will own a single conversion routine that works on every question.
Core Concept
Step 1. Remove quotation marks; replace "said to" with "told".
Step 2. Add conjunction: assertive sentence → "that"; interrogative → "if/whether" (yes-no) or wh-word; imperative → "to" or "not to".
Step 3. Apply tense backshift — present → past, past → past perfect.
Step 4. Shift pronouns according to subject/object of reporter.
Step 5. Shift time/place words.
Formula Sheet
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| yesterday | the previous day |
| here | there |
| this | that |
Solved Examples
Example 1. Direct: He said, "I am going to the market." Indirect?
- Conjunction "that".
- Tense backshift: am going → was going.
- Pronoun: I → he.
- Indirect: He said that he was going to the market.
Example 2. Direct: She said, "Where is my book?" Indirect?
- Interrogative wh-question keeps wh-word.
- Tense backshift: is → was.
- Pronoun: my → her.
- Indirect: She asked where her book was.
Question Patterns
- Assertive direct → indirect.
- Yes/no question.
- Wh-question.
- Imperative (request, order).
- Exclamatory.
- Mixed sentence types.
Mistakes to Avoid
1. Forgetting tense backshift.
2. Wrong conjunction. "if/whether" only for yes/no.
3. Pronoun confusion.
4. Forgetting time/place shift.
Exam Importance
| Exam | Frequency | Marks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC Stenographer | Medium | 1–2 | Standard formats |
| SSC CGL | Medium | 2–3 | Mixed types |
Why Direct/Indirect Narration is structured scoring. SSC Stenographer 2026 asks 1–2 narration conversion items per paper. The rules are mechanical: change the reporting verb based on intent (said → said, said to → told, asked, requested, advised, ordered, exclaimed); shift the tense backward by one step (present → past, past → past perfect, will → would, can → could, may → might); change first-person pronouns to match the speaker; change demonstratives (this → that, these → those); change time markers (now → then, today → that day, yesterday → the previous day, tomorrow → the next day, here → there). Imperative sentences use told to / asked to / requested to / ordered to / advised to / forbade. Interrogative sentences use asked if / whether for yes-no questions and retain Wh-words for Wh-questions. Exclamatory sentences use exclaimed with joy / sorrow / surprise that. The single biggest trap is forgetting to backshift tense when the reporting verb is in past — students leave the inner clause in present and lose the mark. Build a 1-page formula sheet and revise it every Sunday.
Quick Revision
- Memorise time/place shift table.
- Apply tense backshift.
- Use right conjunction.
- Adjust pronouns.
- "Said to" → "told".
- Cap time at 25 sec per Q.
- Solve 5 PYQ narration Qs daily.
- Watch imperative patterns.
- Yes/No questions → use 'if' or 'whether' as conjunction.
- Wh-questions → keep the wh-word as conjunction; change interrogative to assertive order.
- Universal truths and habitual actions stay in present tense even after past reporting verb.
- Imperatives → 'told/ordered/requested/advised + object + to + V1' (or 'not to' for negative).
- Exclamatory → 'exclaimed with joy/sorrow that + assertive sentence'.
- Practise 100 narration conversions covering all 4 sentence types.
- Reporting verb stays the same in present/future tense; backshifts when reporting verb is in past tense.
- Past Simple → Past Perfect; Present Simple → Past Simple; Present Continuous → Past Continuous; Present Perfect → Past Perfect.
- Pronoun shifts: I/we → he/she/they (based on speaker); you → he/she/they (based on listener); my/our → his/her/their.
- Time/place shifts: now → then; today → that day; tomorrow → the next day; here → there; this → that; these → those; ago → before.
- Reporting verb changes: said → told (with object), asked, ordered, requested, advised, exclaimed, suggested.
- For SSC Stenographer 2026, expect 1–2 narration items — mechanical scoring worth 1.5–3 marks at 25 seconds each.
- Yes/No question example: He said to me, 'Are you coming?' → He asked me if I was coming.
- Wh-question example: She said to him, 'Where are you going?' → She asked him where he was going.
- Imperative example: He said to me, 'Open the door' → He told/ordered me to open the door.
- Exclamatory example: She said, 'Hurrah! We won!' → She exclaimed with joy that they had won.