Narration Change : Imperative Sentence with Let

Imperative Sentence with Let

HOME> GRAMMAR>OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

☞When Let in the Direct Speech expresses a proposal or suggestion, we may use 'should' for 'Let' and change the Reporting Verb into propose or suggest. Moreover, the Imperative form is changed into Assertive form with the linker that.

Let ➤should

Said to ➤ Proposed /suggested

Linker ➤ That

Examples:

1.Ram said to Sita, "Let us discuss the matter."

Ans: Ram proposed/suggested to Sita that they should discuss the matter.

2.He said to me, "Let's go out for a walk."

Ans:He suggested to me that we should go out for a walk.

3. He said, "Let's stop now."

Ans:He suggested that we/they should stop then.

4. She said, "Let me look into the matter."

Ans:She proposed that she might be allowed to look into the matter.

5.Lila said to her friends, "Let us have a picnic."

Ans:Lila proposed (suggested) to her friends that they should have a picnic.

SUBSCRIBE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

6.He said to his companions, "Let us not miss this chance to see the last show."

Ans: He proposed (suggested) to his companions that they should not miss that chance to see the last show.

7.He said to us. "Let us go home."

Ans:He proposed to us that we should go home.

8. I said to my friends. "Let us go to play."

Ans:I suggested to my friends that we should go to play.

SUBSCRIBE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

➤But when Let does not express a proposal, it should be changed into might or might be allowed to, or into some other form according to the sense.

1.We said, "Let him tell the story."

Ans:We said that he might (or might be allowed to) tell the story.

2.She said, "Let him eat whatever he likes."

Ans: She said that he might (or might be allowed to) eat whatever he liked.

3.My friend said to me, "Let Arun do whatever he likes."

Ans:My friend told me that Arun might (or might be allowed to) do whatever he liked.

➤'Let us' sometimes expresses a call to action.

Then it is usually reported by urge/advise + object + infinitive.

Example:

Q.The Headmaster said to his staff, "Let us not miss the chance."

Ans:The Headmaster urged his staff not to miss the chance.

➤Sometimes 'let' is used to mean allow/permit. Then the verb 'let' in the reported speech is retained or is changed into may/might/may be allowed to/might be allowed to, etc.

Example

I said to him, 'Let me go home'. Ans:I told him to let me go home/

I told him that I might be allowed to go home.

➤Must' in an imperative sentence remains unchanged in the Indirect Speech.

Example :

Direct: He said to the man, "You must come to the party."

Indirect: He told the man that he must come to the party.

Direct : Father said to me, "You must complete your homework." Indirect: Father told me that I must complete my homework.

Direct : Ram said to Rahim, "We must take Titli with us."

Indirect: Ram told Rahim that they must take Titli with them.

➤Some sentences with 'would' and 'could' are interrogative in form, but they are actually imperative in their nature. In these cases, infinitive (to + verb) is used.

Example:

Direct: She said to me, "Could you give me a glass of water?"

Indirect : She requested me to give her a glass of water.

Direct: Uncle said to me, "Would you drop the letter for me?"

Indirect: Uncle requested me to drop the letter for him.

Direct : Ram said to me, "Would you go to the library with me?" Indirect :Ram requested me to go to the library with him.

SUBSCRIBE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

CLASS-XII,

CLASS-XI,

CLASS-X,

CLASS-IX,

CLASS-VIII,