CBSE Class 7 English Grammar Narration

English Grammar is very important for building strong communication skills. One of the key topics we learn is Narration, which helps us change a sentence from direct speech to indirect speech and vice versa. It is very useful because narration improves the way we express ideas in writing as well as in speaking. Practicing CBSE Class 7 English Grammar Narration exercises makes it easier to write answers correctly, avoid grammatical mistakes, and score better marks in exams.

Narration means telling a story, usually in order. When you create a spooky ghost story and share it by a campfire, that's narration. It's like explaining or telling something, often about storytelling.

English Grammar Class 7 Narration Introduction

Learn about Narration in Class 7 English Grammar, Narration is about changing direct speech to indirect speech and vice versa. It's important for CBSE Class 7 English Grammar Narration helps you share messages and stories in different ways. We'll explain the rules and make it easy for you to use in your writing and speaking. Start this journey to become skilled at using Narration in Class 7 English Grammar!

Narration is an essential part of English grammar, especially for Class 7 students. It involves the art of reporting what someone has said. Let's dive into the details of Narration for Class 7.

What is Narration?

Reported speech is also referred to as narration, which involves the act of presenting the words of some other person. It can be done in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is used to reproduce the exact words of the speaker such as; she said, I am happy. A slight variation of the words is observed in indirect speech and quotation marks are not provided as in the case of "She said she was happy.

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Parts of a Narration Sentence

A narration sentence consists of two main components: the reporting verb and the reported speech.

Reporting Verb: This verb indicates what the speaker said. Common reporting verbs include 'said,' 'told,' and 'asked.' For instance, in the sentence "He said he was going to the market," 'said' is the reporting verb.
Reported Speech: This part of the sentence recounts the speaker's actual words, which can be a statement, a question, or a command. For example, in "She said she was happy," 'she was happy' is the reported speech.

Reporting Verb

Reporting verb is essential since it is what defines the type of the reported speech whether the speaker was asking a question, giving a command, or making a statement.

Example

"He asked if I was coming." (question)
"She ordered him to leave." (command)
"They said they were tired." (statement)

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Reporting Speech

When converting direct speech to indirect speech, adjustments are made to the reported speech. Common changes include:

Tense Changes: If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense of the reported speech is usually changed. For example, "She said, 'I am happy'" becomes "She said she was happy."
Pronoun Changes: Pronouns may need adjustment to fit the context. For example, "He said, 'I am going'" becomes "He said he was going."
Time and Place Changes: Words indicating time and place may require modification. For instance, "She said, 'I will go tomorrow'" becomes "She said she would go the next day.

Types of Narration

Direct Speech

Direct speech is when we use the exact words spoken by someone, enclosed in quotation marks. It gives the feel of the speaker's original words being repeated exactly as they were said.

Rules of Direct Speech

• Quotation Marks: Use quotation marks to enclose the exact words of the speaker.
• Comma: Place a comma before the quotation marks if the reporting verb comes before the direct speech.
• Capitalization: The first letter of the direct speech should be capitalized.
• Punctuation: The punctuation mark at the end of the direct speech should be inside the quotation marks.

Example: She said, "I am going to the market."

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Indirect Speech

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is when we report what someone said without using their exact words. We make some changes to the sentence structure and verb tenses.

Rules of Indirect Speech

• No Quotation Marks: Do not use quotation marks for indirect speech.
• Tense Changes: Change the tense of the verbs in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.
• Pronoun Changes: Change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the point of view of the reporter.
• Time and Place Changes: Adjust words referring to time and place to match the context of the reporting.

Example: She said she was going to the market.

Rules of Changing Narration (Direct Speech to Indirect Speech)

In the direct speech to the indirect speech, there is a set of rules that must be adhered to when transitioning to the indirect speech, particularly the use of pronouns, tenses and time and place.

In Terms of Pronouns

First Person Pronouns: Change based on the subject of the reporting verb. For instance, "She said, 'I am tired'" becomes "She said she was tired."
Second Person Pronouns: Change based on the object of the reporting verb. For instance, "He said to me, 'You are late'" becomes "He told me that I was late."
Third Person Pronouns: Generally remain the same. For instance, "They said, 'She is smart'" becomes "They said she was smart."

In Terms of Tenses

Present Simple to Past Simple: "She says, 'I eat apples'" becomes "She says she eats apples."
Present Continuous to Past Continuous: "He says, 'I am walking'" becomes "He says he is walking."
Present Perfect to Past Perfect: "She says, 'I have finished'" becomes "She says she has finished."
Will to Would: "They say, 'We will go'" becomes "They say they will go."

Note: The tense of the reported speech remains unchanged if the reporting verb is in the present tense or if the reported speech conveys a universal truth or habitual action.

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In Terms of Time and Places

Now to Then: "She says, 'I will do it now'" becomes "She says she will do it then."
Today to That Day: "He says, 'I saw her today'" becomes "He says he saw her that day."
Tomorrow to The Next Day: "They say, 'We will meet tomorrow'" becomes "They say they will meet the next day."
Here to There: "She says, 'Come here'" becomes "She says to come there."

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers

Direct Speech Exercise with Answer

1. He said, "I am reading a storybook."
2. She said, "I will call you in the evening."
3. The teacher said, "Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius."
4. They said, "We are playing in the garden."
5. He asked, "Do you like ice cream?"

Answers:

1. He said that he was reading a storybook.
2. She said that she would call me in the evening.
3. The teacher said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
4. They said that they were playing in the garden.
5. He asked if I liked ice cream.

Indirect Speech Exercise 2 (Indirect → Direct)

Convert the following sentences from indirect to direct speech:

1. She said that she had lost her pen.
2. He told me that he was watching a movie.
3. The doctor said that the patient would recover soon.
4. They mentioned that they had seen the new teacher.
5. She asked if I could help her with the homework.

Answers:

1. She said, "I have lost my pen."
2. He told me, "I am watching a movie."
3. The doctor said, "The patient will recover soon."
4. They mentioned, "We have seen the new teacher."
5. She asked, "Can you help me with the homework?"

What is the Difference between Direct Speech and Indirect Speech?

Other Study Materials for Class 7 English

• NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English
• Worksheet for Class 7 English
• MCQ Questions for Class 7 English
• Class 7 English Notes
• Class 7 English Important Questions

Benefits of Learning Narration for Class 7

Learning narration in English grammar can benefit Class 7 students in several ways:

• Better Communication Skills: Learning about narration also makes students be able to communicate better through assessing the words of other people well, as well as, through being able to get a point across.
• Improved Writing Style: Knowing how to write the direct speech indirect speech and vice versa, will enhance their writing skills, and thus their written communication will become more accurate and interesting.
• Grammar Proficiency: The study of narration makes students understand grammar rules (use of tenses, pronouns and sentence structure) as well as their general knowledge about the grammar of the English language.
• Improved Understanding: The analysis of direct and indirect speech improves the comprehension level as it helps students analyze and interpret written and oral texts better.
• Literary Appreciation: Learning various types of narration in literature that include dialogues and reported speech makes students appreciate literature and methods of narrating their stories.
• Higher Classes Preparation: Narration is the initial strong preparation of the higher classes, where the more complicated grammar principles and literary criticism are involved.