Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)
Table of Contents
Introduction
The type of sentence which expresses order, request, command, advice, and warning is called imperative sentence. Imperative sentence is very much different from interrogative sentence which poses question. The conversion of imperative sentence depends on the mood of the sentence. Imperative sentence uses the second person โyouโ as subject although the subject remains silent in the sentence. This types of sentence begins with a verb. In case of requests the adverb โpleaseโ is used before the verb or at the end of the sentence.ย
Rules
- The sense of command, order, advise, request is implied in the reported clause of the sentence. We have to change the reporting verb in accordance with the mood of the sentence.ย
- The verb of reported clause changes to infinitive. After omitting comma and inverted comma instead of using usual conjunction like โthatโ, โifโ, โwhetherโ, the word โtoโ is used to connect reporting and reported clause.ย
- In case of negative imperative sentence โdo notโ in the direct speech changes to โnot toโ in indirect speech. We can also use โforbade/prohibitedโ followed by โtoโ.ย
- In imperative sentence the reporting verb โsaidโ, โsaid toโ, โtoldโ changes to advised, command, requested, ordered, etc. depending on the mood of the sentence.ย
Examples
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
---|---|
He said to me, โPlease, give me a pen.โ | He requested me to give him a pen. |
Dad said to my brother, โWork hard to succeed.โ | Dad advised my brother to work hard to succeed.ย |
Puja said to Rupa, โDo not touch my things.โ | Puja forbade Rupa to touch her things.ย |
He said to her, โPlease, do not cry.โ | He requested her not to cry.ย |
The manager said to the employee, โDo your work right.โ | The manager ordered the employee to do his work right.ย |
Mother said to me, โThink before you act.โ | Mother advised me to think before I act.ย |
He said to Ranju, โPlease, bring a glass of water.โ | He requested Ranju to bring a glass of water. |
The monk said to the man, โReject materialistic life.โ | The monk advised the man to reject materialistic life.ย |
He said to her, โGo home right now.โ | He ordered her to go home right then. |
She said to him, โDo not touch the hot water.โ | She warned him not to touch the hot water.ย |