Interrogative Sentences & Commands: Narration | English Class 8 PDF Download

Interrogative Sentences

1. The reporting verb is changed into ask, enquire, demand, etc. 

2. No conjunction is used when the sentence begins with question words such as who, which, what, where, whose, whom, why, when, etc. 

3. We use if or whether as a conjunction if the sentence begins with verbs like is, are, am, were, do, does, did, will, would, shall, should, can, could, etc.

Examples:

(i) Direct : He said, “Why are you so sad?”
Indirect : He asked me why I was so sad. 

(ii) Direct : The man said to me, “What does your father do?”
Indirect : The man asked me what my father does.

(iii) Direct : The teacher said to me, “What are you doing?”
Indirect : The tea cher asked me what I was doing. 

(iv) Direct : He said to me, “Where is the purse?”
Indirect : He asked me where the purse was.

(v) Direct : Father said to me, “Is Amit playing?”
Indirect : Father asked me if Amit was playing. 

(vi) Direct : Garvit said to me, “Are you going abroad?”
Indirect : Garvit asked me whether I was going abroad. 

(vii) Direct : Arpit said to me, “Have you a pen?”
Indirect : Arpit asked me if I had a pen. 

(vii) Direct : The teacher said, “Were students alright?”
Indirect : The tea cher asked me whether students were alright.

Commands, Requests, advice

1. The reporting verb is changed into request, order, command, advise, etc.
 2. Words like ‘please’ and ‘kindly’ are removed from indirect speech.
 3. Put ‘to’ after the reporting verb.

Examples:

(i) Direct : The poor boy said to the man, “Please give me ten rupees.”
Indirect : The poor requested the man to give him ten rupees. 

(ii) Direct : The teacher said to the students, “Be quiet.”
Indirect : The teacher ordered the students to be quiet. 

(iii) Direct : Ben said to Tom, “Please give me a chance.”
Indirect : Ben requested Tom to give him a chance. 

(iv) Direct : The doctor said to the patient, “Take medicines in time.”
Indirect : The doctor advised the patient to take medicines in time. 

(v) Direct : The teacher said to me, “Work hard.”
Indirect : The teacher advised me to work hard.

Negative Commands

Examples:

(i) Direct : The teacher said to the students, “Don’t talk in the class.”
Indirect : The teacher asked the students not to talk in the class. 

(ii) Direct : My father said, “Don’t be foolish.”
Indirect : My father told me not to be foolish. 

(iii) Direct : The man said to me, “Please don’t shout loudly.”
 Indirect : The man requested me not to shout loudly. 

(iv) Direct : My brother said, “Don’t indulge in bad habits.”
 Indirect : My brother advised me not to indulge in bad habits. 

(v) Direct : The old man said to me, “Please don’t walk so fast.”
Indirect : The old man requested me not to walk so fast