Narration (Reported Speech) in English Grammar

(বাংলায়: উদ্ধৃত বাক্য বা পরোক্ষ বক্তব্য)

 

১. Definition of Narration (Reported Speech)

Narration or Reported Speech is a way of expressing what someone else said without quoting their exact words. Instead of repeating the exact sentence (Direct Speech), we report the meaning or message (Indirect Speech).

২. Narration কী? (বাংলায় সংজ্ঞা)

Narration বা পরোক্ষ বক্তব্য হলো যখন আমরা কারো কথা সরাসরি না বলে, তার বক্তব্যের অর্থ বা ভাব বুঝিয়ে বলি। এতে মূল বাক্যের সরাসরি উদ্ধৃতি থাকে না।

৩. Direct Speech vs Indirect Speech (ডাইরেক্ট ও ইন্ডাইরেক্ট স্পীচ)

Direct Speech (সরাসরি বক্তব্য)	Indirect Speech (পরোক্ষ বক্তব্য)	উদাহরণ (বাংলায়)
She said, “I am tired.”	She said that she was tired.	সে বলল, “আমি ক্লান্ত।” → সে বলল যে সে ক্লান্ত।
He asked, “Where do you live?”	He asked where I lived.	সে জিজ্ঞাসা করল, “তুমি কোথায় থাকো?” → সে জিজ্ঞাসা করল আমি কোথায় থাকি।
They said, “We have finished the work.”	They said that they had finished the work.	তারা বলল, “আমরা কাজ শেষ করেছি।” → তারা বলল তারা কাজ শেষ করেছে।

৪. Rules of Narration (Reported Speech)

৪.১. Change of Tense (Tense backshift)

যদি মূল বাক্যের verb present tense হয়, তবে পরোক্ষ বাক্যে সেটি সাধারণত past tense হয়।

Direct Tense	Reported Speech Tense
Present Simple	Past Simple
Present Continuous	Past Continuous
Present Perfect	Past Perfect
Past Simple	Past Perfect
Past Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous

Examples:

• Direct: He says, “I am happy.”
• Reported: He said that he was happy.
• Direct: She said, “I have seen that movie.”
• Reported: She said that she had seen that movie.

৪.২. Pronoun Changes

বক্তার বক্তব্য অনুযায়ী ব্যক্তিগত সর্বনাম পরিবর্তন করতে হয়।
উদাহরণ:

• Direct: I am ready.
• Reported: He said that he was ready.

৪.৩. Change of Time and Place Words

কিছু শব্দ সময় ও স্থান নির্দেশ করে, এগুলোও পরিবর্তন করতে হয়।

Direct Speech Word	Reported Speech Word
now	then
today	that day
yesterday	the day before
tomorrow	the next day
here	there

৪.৪. Question in Narration

• Yes/No question: Use if / whether
• WH-question: Use question word (where, what, when, why, how)

Examples:

• Direct: “Are you coming?”
• Reported: He asked if I was coming.
• Direct: “Where do you live?”
• Reported: She asked where I lived.

৪.৫. Commands and Requests

• Use verbs like tell, ask, order, request + object + infinitive without ‘to’ (sometimes)

Examples:

• Direct: “Open the door.”
• Reported: He told me to open the door.
• Direct: “Please help me.”
• Reported: She asked me to help her.

৫. Verb Changes in Narration (Tense Backshift Examples)

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
I am reading a book.	He said he was reading a book.
She has finished her homework.	He said she had finished her homework.
They will come tomorrow.	He said they would come the next day.
I saw him yesterday.	He said he had seen him the day before.

৬. Reporting Verbs (উদ্ধৃত বাক্যে ব্যবহৃত ক্রিয়া)

Verb	Usage Example
say	He said that he was tired.
tell	She told me to wait.
ask	He asked if I was okay.
order	The officer ordered them to stop.
request	She requested him to come early.
suggest	He suggested that we meet later.
explain	She explained that she was late.
warn	They warned us not to enter.

৭. Examples with Bengali Meanings (উদাহরণসহ)

Direct:

• “I will come tomorrow,” he said.
  Reported:
• He said that he would come the next day.
  বাংলায়: সে বলল সে আগামীকাল আসবে।

Direct:

• “Where is the station?” she asked.
  Reported:
• She asked where the station was.
  বাংলায়: সে জিজ্ঞাসা করল স্টেশন কোথায়।

Direct:

• “Don’t be late,” the teacher told us.
  Reported:
• The teacher told us not to be late.
  বাংলায়: শিক্ষক আমাদের বললেন দেরি করো না।

৮. Common Mistakes in Narration

Mistake	Correction	Explanation
He said he is tired.	He said he was tired.	Tense backshift missing
She asked what is your name?	She asked what your name was.	Word order change in reported questions
He told me go there.	He told me to go there.	Use infinitive after ‘told’
She said me she was busy.	She told me she was busy.	‘said’ to ‘me’ incorrect usage

৯. Summary Table: Direct to Reported Speech

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
I am hungry.	He said (that) he was hungry.
She can swim.	He said she could swim.
They have left.	He said they had left.
Will you come?	He asked if I would come.
Where do you live?	He asked where I lived.
Open the door.	He told me to open the door.
Don’t touch it.	He told me not to touch it.

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