Education

Passage Narration Exercise With Answers For Ssc

By on Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Narration is an essential aspect of English grammar and plays a crucial role in SSC (Secondary School Certificate) exams. Mastering direct and indirect speech is important for students aiming to improve their English writing and communication skills.

In this topic we will cover passage narration exercises provide step-by-step explanations and offer answers to help students understand the rules effectively.

What is Narration in English Grammar?

Narration refers to the process of converting direct speech (the exact words spoken by someone) into indirect speech (reported speech). This change involves modifications in pronouns tenses and sentence structure.

Types of Narration

  1. Direct Speech – The exact words spoken by the speaker enclosed in quotation marks.

    • Example: She said “I am reading a book.”

  2. Indirect Speech – The reported form of speech where quotation marks are removed and necessary changes are made.

    • Example: She said that she was reading a book.

Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech

1. Changes in Pronouns

  • First-person pronouns (I we) change according to the subject of the reporting verb.
  • Second-person pronouns (you) change according to the object of the reporting verb.
  • Third-person pronouns (he she they) remain unchanged.

Example:

  • Direct: He said “I like football.”
  • Indirect: He said that he liked football.

2. Changes in Tenses

  • Present simple → Past simple

    • Direct: He said “I eat an apple.”
    • Indirect: He said that he ate an apple.

  • Present continuous → Past continuous

    • Direct: She said “I am cooking dinner.”
    • Indirect: She said that she was cooking dinner.

  • Present perfect → Past perfect

    • Direct: He said “I have finished my work.”
    • Indirect: He said that he had finished his work.

3. Changes in Time and Place Words

  • Now → Then
  • Today → That day
  • Tomorrow → The next day
  • Yesterday → The previous day
  • Here → There

Example:

  • Direct: She said “I will meet you here tomorrow.”
  • Indirect: She said that she would meet me there the next day.

4. Changes in Modal Verbs

  • Can → Could
  • Will → Would
  • Shall → Should
  • May → Might

Example:

  • Direct: He said “I will help you.”
  • Indirect: He said that he would help me.

Narration Exercises for SSC Students

Exercise 1: Convert into Indirect Speech

  1. The teacher said “The sun rises in the east.”
  2. She said “I am feeling very happy today.”
  3. He said “I have completed my homework.”
  4. They said “We will visit the museum tomorrow.”
  5. My mother said “You should respect your elders.”

Answers to Exercise 1

  1. The teacher said that the sun rises in the east. (Universal truth tense does not change)
  2. She said that she was feeling very happy that day.
  3. He said that he had completed his homework.
  4. They said that they would visit the museum the next day.
  5. My mother said that I should respect my elders.

Exercise 2: Convert into Direct Speech

  1. He said that he liked chocolate.
  2. She said that she was watching a movie.
  3. The boy said that he had finished his work.
  4. The teacher said that the moon goes around the earth.
  5. They said that they would call me later.

Answers to Exercise 2

  1. He said “I like chocolate.”
  2. She said “I am watching a movie.”
  3. The boy said “I have finished my work.”
  4. The teacher said “The moon goes around the earth.”
  5. They said “We will call you later.”

Common Mistakes in Narration and How to Avoid Them

1. Incorrect Change of Tense

❌ Direct: He said “I go to school.”
❌ Indirect: He said that he goes to school. (Wrong tense should change)
✅ Correct: He said that he went to school.

2. Not Changing Pronouns

❌ Direct: She said “I love painting.”
❌ Indirect: She said that I love painting. (Wrong ‘I’ should change to ‘she’)
✅ Correct: She said that she loved painting.

3. Forgetting to Change Time Expressions

❌ Direct: He said “I will meet you tomorrow.”
❌ Indirect: He said that he would meet me tomorrow. (Wrong ‘tomorrow’ should change)
✅ Correct: He said that he would meet me the next day.

Tips for SSC Students to Master Narration

  1. Understand the rules – Memorize changes in tense pronouns and time expressions.
  2. Practice regularly – Solve narration exercises to improve accuracy.
  3. Read English books and newspapers – Observe how direct and indirect speech are used in writing.
  4. Listen to English conversations – Helps in understanding how people report speech in real life.
  5. Write your own narration examples – Practice converting sentences from direct to indirect speech and vice versa.

Narration is a crucial topic in SSC English exams and mastering it requires understanding grammar rules and practicing regularly. By focusing on tense changes pronoun modifications and time expressions students can easily convert direct speech to indirect speech and vice versa.

Use the exercises provided above to test your knowledge and improve your grammar skills. Keep practicing and you will become confident in using narration correctly!

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