Assertive sentence narration
An assertive sentence is a sentence that simply asserts something.
We can convert the assertive sentences from direct speech to indirect speech following the steps below:-
(A) In reporting verb ‘say/said’ convert to ‘tell/told’ (if there is an object).
(B) Inverted comma disappears and the conjunction “that” sits.
(C) The subject of the reported speech (according to the change of person) + verb (according to the change of tense) + the rest part of the sentence.
Example :
Direct: Urmi said to Romi, “I am going home.”
Indirect: Urmi told Romi that she was going home.
Direct: I say, “”He gave me his book.”
Indirect: I say that he gave me his book.
Direct: The girl says to me, “I shall accompany you.”
Indirect: The girl tells me that she will accompany me.
Reported speech say and tell
Say:
In the assertive sentences, we use ‘say’ when we do not mention the hearer.
Direct: Joan’s boss said, “I can leave early.”
Indirect: Joan’s boss said he could leave early.
Direct: Daniel says, “I am ready.”
Indirect: Daniel says that he is ready.
Tell:
We use ‘tell’ if we want to mention the hearer.
(The person spoken to)
Direct: Joan’s boss said to him, “I can leave early.”
Indirect: Joan’s boss told him he could leave early.
Direct: Daniel says to me, “I am ready.”
Indirect: Daniel tells me that he is ready.
Incorrect: Daniel says me that he is ready.
NB: ‘Say’ or ‘tell’ is usually used as a reporting verb to convert direct speech into indirect speech. Sometimes other verbs may be used for this purpose.
Example:
Direct: Rita said, “I repent, I have lost my mother forever.”
Indirect: Rita repented that she had lost her mother forever.
Direct: Nayan said, “I expect, I shall gain a good future in life.”
Indirect: Nayan expected that he would gain a good future in life.
Sometimes in direct speech, the introductory portion with reporting verb is omitted. In these cases, the following rule is used to convert direct speech into indirect speech.
Direct: “Jerry is a good boy.”
Indirect: The speaker says that Jerry is a good boy.
Direct: “We have won the game.”
Indirect: The players said that they had won the game.
Direct: “He is a pious man.”
Indirect: People say that he is a pious man.
Assertive sentence narration
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