Common Mistakes in Narration

By now, you have learned almost all narration rules.

But many students still lose marks.

Why?

Not because they do not know rules.

Because they make common mistakes.

This lesson will help you find those mistakes and avoid them.

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Big Idea

Most narration mistakes happen in five areas:

Pronoun mistakes

Tense mistakes

Question structure mistakes

Wrong reporting verbs

Special rule mistakes

Let us study them one by one.

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Mistake 1

Wrong Pronoun Change

Direct:

He said, “I am tired.”

Wrong:

He said that I was tired.

Correct:

He said that he was tired.

Why wrong

“I” follows the speaker.

The speaker is he.

So I → he

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Another Example

Direct:

She said to me, “I will help you.”

Wrong:

She told me that I would help you.

Correct:

She told me that she would help me.

Two mistakes:

I should become she

you should become me

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Rule to Remember

First person follows speaker

Second person follows listener

Third person usually stays same

Mistake 2

Wrong Tense Change

Direct:

He said, “I am happy.”

Wrong:

He said that he is happy.

Correct:

He said that he was happy.

am → was

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Another Example

Direct:

He said, “I wrote a letter.”

Wrong:

He said that he wrote a letter.

Correct:

He said that he had written a letter.

wrote → had written

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Rule to Remember

Present → Past

Past → Past perfect

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Mistake 3

Changing Special Cases Wrongly

Wrong:

The teacher said that the earth moved round the sun.

Correct:

The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.

Universal truth does not usually change.

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Wrong:

He said that he had had finished his work.

Correct:

He said that he had finished his work.

Past perfect usually stays the same.

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Mistake 4

Using if in Wh Questions

Direct:

He said to me, “Where do you live?”

Wrong:

He asked me if where I lived.

Correct:

He asked me where I lived.

Rule:

Wh question keeps the wh word.

No if.

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Mistake 5

Keeping Question Order

Direct:

She said to me, “Why are you late?”

Wrong:

She asked me why was I late.

Correct:

She asked me why I was late.

Rule:

Question order becomes statement order.

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Mistake 6

Using “that” in Imperatives

Direct:

Father said to me, “Study hard.”

Wrong:

Father advised me that study hard.

Correct:

Father advised me to study hard.

Rule:

Imperative uses to + verb

No that

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Mistake 7

Forgetting not to in Negative Imperatives

Direct:

He said to me, “Do not run.”

Wrong:

He told me to run.

Correct:

He told me not to run.

The word not is very important.

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Mistake 8

Wrong Reporting Verb

Direct:

He said, “Hurrah! We won!”

Wrong:

He said that they had won.

Correct:

He exclaimed with joy that they had won.

Emotion needs correct reporting verb.

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Mistake 9

Wrong May Change in Optative

Direct:

He said, “May you succeed.”

Wrong:

He wished that I may succeed.

Correct:

He wished that I might succeed.

May → might

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Golden Self-Check Method

After writing any answer, check:

Did I change pronoun correctly

Did I apply tense rule

Did I choose the correct reporting verb

Did I use the correct structure

Did I forget any special rule

This can save marks.

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Quick Wrong vs Correct Review

Wrong:

He asked me if where I lived.

Correct:

He asked me where I lived.

Wrong:

He told me that open the door.

Correct:

He told me to open the door.

Wrong:

He wished that I may pass.

Correct:

He wished that I might pass.

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Quick Revision

Common mistakes happen in:

Pronoun

Tense

Question structure

Reporting verb

Special rules

Always check your answer before finishing.

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Practice

A. Find and correct the mistakes

1. He said that I was tired.

2. He asked me if where I lived.

3. Father advised me that study hard.

4. He wished that I may succeed.

5. She asked me why was I sad.

6. He told me to run. (Direct was: Do not run.)

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Answers

1. He said that he was tired.

2. He asked me where I lived.

3. Father advised me to study hard.

4. He wished that I might succeed.

5. She asked me why I was sad.

6. He told me not to run.

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B. Choose the correct answer

1. Wh question uses

   if

   wh word

   that

2. Imperative uses

   that

   to + verb

   if

3. Optative changes

   may to might

   may to must

   may to shall

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Answers

1. wh word

2. to + verb

3. may to might

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Self Check

Can I find common narration mistakes

Can I correct them

Can I check my own answers

Can I avoid losing marks through small errors

Homework

Write five wrong narration answers intentionally.

Then correct them yourself.

This is a very powerful way to learn.