Narration Change of Imperative Sentences

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 โ€˜youโ€™ as subject although the subject remains silent in the sentence. This types of sentence begins with a verb. In case of requests the adverb โ€˜pleaseโ€™ 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 โ€˜thatโ€™, โ€˜ifโ€™, โ€˜whetherโ€™, the word โ€˜toโ€™ is used to connect reporting and reported clause.ย 
  • In case of negative imperative sentence โ€˜do notโ€™ in the direct speech changes to โ€˜not toโ€™ in indirect speech. We can also use โ€˜forbade/prohibitedโ€™ followed by โ€˜toโ€™.ย 
  • In imperative sentence the reporting verb โ€˜saidโ€™, โ€˜said toโ€™, โ€˜toldโ€™ changes to advised, command, requested, ordered, etc. depending on the mood of the sentence.ย 

Examples

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech
He said to me, โ€œPlease, give me a pen.โ€He requested me to give him a pen.
Dad said to my brother, โ€œWork hard to succeed.โ€Dad advised my brother to work hard to succeed.ย 
Puja said to Rupa, โ€œDo not touch my things.โ€Puja forbade Rupa to touch her things.ย 
He said to her, โ€œPlease, do not cry.โ€He requested her not to cry.ย 
The manager said to the employee, โ€œDo your work right.โ€The manager ordered the employee to do his work right.ย 
Mother said to me, โ€œThink before you act.โ€Mother advised me to think before I act.ย 
He said to Ranju, โ€œPlease, bring a glass of water.โ€He requested Ranju to bring a glass of water.
The monk said to the man, โ€œReject materialistic life.โ€The monk advised the man to reject materialistic life.ย 
He said to her, โ€œGo home right now.โ€He ordered her to go home right then.
She said to him, โ€œDo not touch the hot water.โ€She warned him not to touch the hot water.ย