0
0

Change of Pronouns

Introduction

Direct and Indirect Speech-ல் pronouns முக்கிய பங்கு வகிக்கின்றன, ஏனெனில் யார் பேசுகிறார் மற்றும் யாரிடம் speech report செய்யப்படுகிறது என்பதற்கேற்ப அவை மாறுகின்றன. Indirect Speech-ஆக மாற்றும்போது original sentence-ன் சரியான அர்த்தம் காக்கப்பட, pronouns எப்படி shift ஆகின்றன என்பதைப் புரிந்துகொள்வது அவசியம்.

Pronoun தவறாக மாற்றப்பட்டால் statement-ன் அர்த்தமே முழுவதும் மாறிவிடும்; அதனால் இந்த pattern மிக முக்கியமானது.

Pattern: Change of Pronouns

Pattern

Reported speech-ல் pronouns “person rule”-க்கு ஏற்ப மாறும் - அதாவது reporting verb-ன் subject மற்றும் object-ஐ அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டது.

  • 1st person (I, we) → reporting verb-ன் subject-க்கு ஏற்ப மாறும்.
  • 2nd person (you) → reporting verb-ன் object-க்கு ஏற்ப மாறும்.
  • 3rd person (he, she, they) → no change.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Convert the following into Indirect Speech:
She said to me, “You are my best friend.”

Options:
A. She told me that I was her best friend.
B. She told me that he was her best friend.
C. She said that I was her best friend.
D. She told me that you are my best friend.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the reporting verb and reported speech.

    Reporting verb = said to (→ told); Reported speech = “You are my best friend.”

  2. Step 2: Remove quotation marks and add 'that'.

    → She told me that you are my best friend.

  3. Step 3: Apply pronoun rule (2nd person).

    'you' என்பது reporting verb-ன் object ஆன 'me'-ஐ குறிக்கிறது, ஆகவே you → I.

  4. Step 4: Adjust other pronouns.

    'my' (speaker-க்கு சொந்தமானது) → 'her'.

  5. Step 5: Backshift tense as the reporting verb is past.

    'are' → 'was'.

  6. Final Answer:

    She told me that I was her best friend. → Option A

  7. Quick Check:

    'You' listener (me)-ஐ குறிக்கிறது → 'I'; 'my' speaker (she)-ஐ குறிக்கிறது → 'her' ✅

Quick Variations

1. Reporting verb-ன் object மாறினால், pronouns-வும் அதற்கேற்ப மாறும்.

2. Object கொடுக்கப்படவில்லை என்றால், general reference-ஐ assume செய்து pronoun-ஐ logically வைத்துக்கொள்ளவும்.

3. Common exam trap: possessive pronouns-ஐ மாற்ற மறப்பது (my → his/her; your → my/our).

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1: Reporting verb-ன் subject மற்றும் object-ஐ கண்டறியவும்.
  • Step 2: Person rule-ஐ பயன்படுத்தவும்:
    • 1st person → subject
    • 2nd person → object
    • 3rd person → no change
  • Step 3: Possessive மற்றும் reflexive pronouns-ஐயும் மறுபடியும் சரிபார்க்கவும்.

Summary

Summary

  • Pronoun மாற்றங்கள் speaker (subject) மற்றும் listener (object) ஆகியோரின் உறவைப் பொறுத்தது.
  • First மற்றும் second person pronouns மாறக்கூடியவை; third person pronouns மாறாது.
  • Conversion-க்கு பிறகு my, your, our போன்ற possessive words-ஐ எப்போதும் cross-check செய்யவும்.
  • இந்த example-ல், “You are my best friend.” → “I was her best friend.” - person மற்றும் possession இரண்டும் சரியாக shift ஆகியுள்ளன.

Practice

(1/5)
1. Convert into Indirect Speech:<br><br>He said to me, “I am proud of you.”
easy
A. He told me that he was proud of me.
B. He said that he was proud of you.
C. He told me that I was proud of him.
D. He said that he is proud of me.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify reporting verb and pronouns.

    Reporting verb = 'said to' → 'told'; Reported speech = “I am proud of you.”

  2. Step 2: Apply pronoun rule.

    'I' refers to the speaker (he) → 'he'; 'you' refers to the listener (me) → 'me'.

  3. Step 3: Backshift tense.

    'am' → 'was' because reporting verb is past.

  4. Step 4: Combine sentence.

    He told me that he was proud of me.

  5. Final Answer:

    He told me that he was proud of me. → Option A

  6. Quick Check:

    'I' → 'he', 'you' → 'me', and present → past ✅
Hint: Change 1st and 2nd person pronouns based on who speaks and who listens.
Common Mistakes: Leaving 'you' unchanged.
2. Choose the correct Indirect Speech:<br><br>She said to him, “You are a good boy.”
easy
A. She told him that he was a good boy.
B. She told him that you were a good boy.
C. She said that he was a good boy.
D. She told him that I was a good boy.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify elements.

    Reporting verb = 'said to' → 'told'; Reported = “You are a good boy.”

  2. Step 2: Apply pronoun rule.

    'You' refers to the listener (him) → 'he'.

  3. Step 3: Backshift tense.

    'are' → 'was'.

  4. Step 4: Combine sentence.

    She told him that he was a good boy.

  5. Final Answer:

    She told him that he was a good boy. → Option A

  6. Quick Check:

    'You' → 'he'; 'are' → 'was' ✅
Hint: ‘You’ changes to match the object of reporting verb.
Common Mistakes: Forgetting to backshift 'are' to 'was'.
3. Convert into Indirect Speech:<br><br>Ravi said to me, “I will help you.”
easy
A. Ravi told me that I would help him.
B. Ravi told me that he will help me.
C. Ravi told me that he would help me.
D. Ravi told me that he helps me.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify key elements.

    Reporting verb = 'said to' → 'told'; Reported = “I will help you.”

  2. Step 2: Apply pronoun rule.

    'I' refers to speaker (Ravi) → 'he'; 'you' refers to listener (me) → 'me'.

  3. Step 3: Backshift tense.

    'will' → 'would'.

  4. Step 4: Combine sentence.

    Ravi told me that he would help me.

  5. Final Answer:

    Ravi told me that he would help me. → Option C

  6. Quick Check:

    'I' → 'he'; 'you' → 'me'; 'will' → 'would' ✅
Hint: In 'said to' → 'told', apply both pronoun and tense changes together.
Common Mistakes: Forgetting to change 'will' → 'would'.
4. Convert into Indirect Speech:<br><br>I said to her, “You have hurt me.”
medium
A. I told her that you had hurt me.
B. I told her that she had hurt me.
C. I said that she hurt me.
D. I told her that she has hurt me.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify reporting elements.

    Reporting verb = 'said to' → 'told'; Reported = “You have hurt me.”

  2. Step 2: Apply pronoun rule.

    'You' refers to the listener (her) → 'she'.

  3. Step 3: Backshift tense.

    'have hurt' → 'had hurt'.

  4. Step 4: Combine sentence.

    I told her that she had hurt me.

  5. Final Answer:

    I told her that she had hurt me. → Option B

  6. Quick Check:

    'You' → 'she'; 'have hurt' → 'had hurt' ✅
Hint: Pronoun 'you' becomes 'he/she' depending on the object of reporting verb.
Common Mistakes: Leaving tense unchanged or using 'has' instead of 'had'.
5. Choose the correct Indirect Speech:<br><br>They said, “We love our country.”
medium
A. They said that they loved their country.
B. They said that we loved their country.
C. They told that they love their country.
D. They said that they love their country.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Locate pronouns and tense.

    Reporting verb = 'said'; Reported speech = “We love our country.”

  2. Step 2: Apply pronoun rule.

    'We' → 'they'; 'our' → 'their'.

  3. Step 3: Backshift tense.

    'love' → 'loved'.

  4. Step 4: Combine final sentence.

    They said that they loved their country.

  5. Final Answer:

    They said that they loved their country. → Option A

  6. Quick Check:

    'We' → 'they'; 'our' → 'their' and present → past shift applied correctly. ✅
Hint: Possessive pronouns also change with person rule.
Common Mistakes: Keeping 'our' unchanged or forgetting tense backshift.

Mock Test

Ready for a challenge?

Take a 10-minute AI-powered test with 10 questions (Easy-Medium-Hard mix) and get instant SWOT analysis of your performance!

10 Questions
5 Minutes