Rule No. 9.
INDIRECT SPEECH FOR OPTATIVE SENTENCES.
Optative sentences express wishes, hopes, or desires.
They are typically introduced by phrases such as "I wish,"
"May," or "Would that," and are used to convey a desire for
something to happen or a hope for a certain situation.
When converting optative sentences from direct speech
to indirect speech, the structure is adjusted to fit the reporting context
while retaining the essence of the wish or desire.
Converting Optative Sentences to Indirect Speech
1. Wishes Expressed with "I wish"
- Direct: “I wish I were on a beach,” she said.
- Indirect: She wished that she were on a beach.
2. Wishes for the Future with "May"
-Direct: “May you have a wonderful trip,” he said.
- Indirect: He wished that I would have a wonderful trip.
3. Desires Expressed with "Would"
Direct: “I would like more time,” he said.
- Indirect:** He said he would like more time.
4. Expressing Regret or a Wish for the Past
-Direct: “I wish I had studied harder,” she said.
Indirect: She wished that she had studied harder.
5. Desires for Others with “May” or “Would”
- Direct: “May you find happiness,” she said.
- Indirect: She wished that I would find happiness.
6. Expressing a Hope or Wish for the Present
- Direct: “I wish he were here,” she said.
- Indirect: She wished that he were there.
Examples
1. Direct: “I wish you would come to the party,”
she said.
- Indirect: She wished that I would come to the party.
2. Direct: “May you achieve all your goals,” he
said.
Indirect: He wished that I would achieve all my goals.
3. Direct: “I wish it were warmer today,” they
said.
Indirect: They wished that it was warmer that day.
4. Direct: “I would love to see that movie,” she
said.
Indirect: She said that she would love to see that movie.
5. Direct: “Would that I could help you,” he said.
Indirect: He wished that he could help me.
6. Direct: “I wish we had met earlier,” she said.
Indirect: She wished that they had met earlier.
7. Direct: “May you have a speedy recovery,” he
said.
Indirect: He wished I would recover quickly.
8. Direct: “I wish I had taken that job,” he said.
Indirect: He wished that he had taken that job.
9. Direct: “May you succeed in your new venture,”
she said.
Indirect: She wished that I would succeed in my new venture.
10. Direct: “I wish they were more understanding,”
he said.
Indirect: He wished that they were more understanding.
Notes on Structure
Reporting Verbs:
Use verbs like "wished," "hoped," or "desired" to convey the optative nature of the original statement.
- Form: In indirect speech, the optative sentence
often starts with "that" followed by a statement reflecting the wish
or desire.
-Tense: Maintain the same tense as in the
original wish, especially when reflecting past or present desires.
