English · Class 9 · Grammar · Term 3

Subject-Verb Concord: Complex Cases

Explore advanced rules of subject-verb agreement, including those for compound subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor', indefinite pronouns, and inverted sentences.

TL;DR:Ever struggled to tell a friend exactly what the teacher instructed? This lesson focuses on mastering the art of reporting commands and requests accurately.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• NCERT: Class IX English - Grammar

About This Topic

This topic delves into the conversion of imperative and exclamatory sentences from direct to reported speech, a crucial grammatical skill outlined in the Class 9 English curriculum prescribed by NCERT and followed by boards like CBSE. While students may be familiar with reporting statements and questions, this module focuses on the specific structural changes required for commands, requests, advice, and exclamations. The core of this topic is understanding the shift from a direct command's verb-first structure to an infinitive ('to' + verb) structure in reported speech. Emphasis is placed on selecting the appropriate reporting verb (e.g., 'ordered', 'requested', 'advised', 'forbade') to convey the original tone and intent of the speaker, a nuance essential for effective communication and narrative writing. This builds upon students' foundational knowledge of tenses and pronouns, applying it to a more complex and context-dependent form of speech transformation.

Key Questions

1. Explain the verb agreement rule for subjects joined by 'either...or' and 'neither...nor'.
2. Analyse sentences beginning with 'Here' or 'There' to identify the true subject.
3. Justify the use of a singular or plural verb with indefinite pronouns like 'each', 'everyone', and 'some'.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the tone of an imperative sentence to select an appropriate reporting verb.
• Convert direct commands, requests, and advice into grammatically correct reported speech.
• Apply the rule of using the infinitive ('to' + verb) for positive commands and 'not to' + verb for negative commands.
• Accurately change pronouns and words denoting time and place as required.
• Differentiate between the rules for reporting imperative sentences versus assertive or interrogative sentences.

Key Vocabulary

Reported Speech	The method of reporting what someone has said without using their exact words. Also known as Indirect Speech.
Reporting Verb	The verb that introduces the reported words, such as 'ordered', 'requested', 'advised', 'told'.
Imperative Sentence	A sentence that gives a command, makes a request, or gives advice. It usually begins with a verb.
Infinitive	The basic form of a verb, typically preceded by 'to'. For example, 'to go', 'to read', 'to write'.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students use 'said to' or 'told' for all types of commands and requests.

What to Teach Instead

Explain that while 'told' can be used for simple commands, using more specific verbs like 'ordered', 'requested', 'advised', or 'warned' makes the meaning clearer and more precise. Provide a list matching tones to verbs.

Common Misconception

Students forget to change the main verb into its infinitive form ('to' + verb). For example, 'He ordered me go away.'

What to Teach Instead

Emphasise the fundamental rule for reporting imperatives: the direct command's verb is always replaced by the to-infinitive. The correct structure is: Reporting Verb + Object + 'to' + Base Verb.

Common Misconception

Students try to change the tense of the verb in the command, as they do for statements. For example, 'She said, "Finish your work"' becomes 'She ordered me that I finished my work.'

What to Teach Instead

Clarify that for imperative sentences, the concept of backshifting tense does not apply to the main verb. The infinitive structure ('to finish') handles the transformation, and no tense change is needed for the action verb.

Active Learning Ideas

Numbered Heads Together

Reporting Role-Play

Students in pairs are given cards with a situation and a command (e.g., a librarian saying, 'Please maintain silence'). One student acts it out, and the other must report the command to the class using the correct reporting verb and structure.

20 min·Pairs

Numbered Heads Together

Comic Strip Conversion

Provide students with short comic strips where characters give commands or make requests in speech bubbles. Students must rewrite the story in a narrative paragraph below the comic, converting all dialogue into reported speech.

25 min·Individual

Numbered Heads Together

Reporting Verb Charades

A student picks a chit with a reporting verb like 'warned', 'begged', or 'commanded' and a simple action. They must act out the command in a way that conveys the tone of the verb, while others guess the full reported sentence.

15 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Summarising instructions from a teacher or coach to a friend who was absent.
• Narrating a story or an incident, accurately conveying the commands or requests made by characters.
• Writing formal reports or minutes of a meeting where directives were given.
• Following and explaining multi-step instructions from a recipe or a manual.
• Understanding and reporting public service announcements or official orders.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Give students an 'exit slip' with two sentences, one direct command and one direct request, and ask them to convert them to reported speech before leaving class.

Quick Check

In a unit test, provide a short dialogue containing a mix of statements, questions, and commands. Students must rewrite the entire dialogue into a single narrative paragraph using reported speech.

Quick Check

Provide a checklist for students to review their own paragraphs. The checklist can include points like: 'Did I use a specific reporting verb?', 'Did I use the to-infinitive?', 'Did I change the pronouns correctly?'

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't we use the word 'that' when we report a command?

In reported speech, 'that' is used to introduce a noun clause, which is typically for reporting statements. Commands and requests are converted using an infinitive phrase ('to' + verb), which serves a different grammatical function and doesn't require 'that'.

How do we report a negative command, like 'Don't touch that'?

For negative commands, we use the structure 'not to' + verb. For example, 'The teacher said to the students, "Don't make a noise"' becomes 'The teacher instructed the students not to make a noise.'

What is the difference between reporting a request and reporting a command?

The main difference is the choice of reporting verb, which depends on the tone of the original speaker. For polite sentences with words like 'please' or 'kindly', we use 'requested'. For authoritative sentences, we use 'ordered' or 'commanded'.