Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)
Sentence that begins with let also belongs to imperative form. Sentence with let is slightly different form other sentences that give order, advise, warning, command etc.ย
Rules
- Let is used in a sentence to express a suggestion or proposal. We have to understand from the mood of the sentence if something is suggested or proposed
- Reporting verbs such as โsaidโ, โtoldโ, โsaid toโ change to โproposedโ or โsuggestedโ.ย
- Here the reporting clause and reported clause can be connected with conjunction โthatโ
- Sometime โtoโ is used. In that case reporting verb โsay toโ changes to tell. ย
- โWeโ/โusโ pronouns change to โtheyโ.ย
- If first person โIโ is included then โweโ or the mentioned pronoun remains unchanged.
- Modal auxiliary verb should is used in reported clause.ย
Examples
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
---|---|
I said to my mother, โLet me do the work.โ | I told my mother to let me do the work. |
He said, โLet us practice harder.โ | Mahu proposed to Shampa that they should watch a movie. |
Mahu said to Shampa, โLet us watch a movie.โ | Mahu proposed to Shampa that they should watch a movie. |
Father said to mother, โLet me do the cleaning.โ | Father told mother to let him do the cleaning.ย |
He said to me, โLet us be quiet.โ | He suggested to me that we should be quiet. |
He said to her, โLet us buy a house.โ | He suggested to her that they should buy a house.ย |
I said to her, โLet us go on a travel.โ | I proposed to her that we should go on a travel. |
Brother said to me, โLet us do our own works.โ | Brother suggested to me that we should do our own works. |
The employee said to the boss, โLet me explain the matter to you.โ | The employee told the boss to let him explain the matter to him.ย |
The man said to the woman, โLet us eat in peace, without talking.โ | The man suggested to the woman that they should eat in peace, without talking. |