Are these sentences natural? September 8

Question

Hi,Are the following sentences natural to a native ear?1. I thought you already have enough people to keep tabs on, and you wouldn’t want one more. 2. My friend is also interested in doing / taking  some coaching sessions with you. ( I said this to a teacher) 3. I am not sure but I remember reading something like our employees being eligible for a discount at a pharmacy. Do you remember seeing anything like that?Thanks,MG.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

1. I thought you already ~~have~~ had enough people to keep tabs on, and you wouldn’t want one more.

2. My friend is also interested in doing / taking some coaching sessions with you. ( I said this to a teacher)

OK, but I'd say A friend of mine is also ... unless my friend were standing right there when I said it.

(Either doing or taking. Both are OK.)

3. I am not sure but I remember reading something like our employees being eligible for a discount at a pharmacy. Do you remember seeing anything like that?

Perfectly OK in casual conversation, but for a more polished statement, change something like our employees being eligible ...

... but I remember reading that our employees were eligible for a discount at a pharmacy, or something like that. Do you remember ...?

CJ

Musicgold · Answer

Thanks CJ.

CalifJim1. I thought you already ~~have~~ had enough people to keep tabs on, and you wouldn’t want one more.

I chose 'have' because I wanted to convey that the state still continues. Why did you prefer 'had'?

CalifJim 3. I am not sure but I remember reading something like our employees being eligible for a discount at a pharmacy. Do you remember seeing anything like that?

Perfectly OK in casual conversation, but for a more polished statement, change something like our employees being eligible ...

... but I remember reading that our employees were eligible for a discount at a pharmacy, or something like that. Do you remember ...?

I wanted to convey that the discount is still available. I feel that 'were' suggests that the discount no longer exists. Do you agree?

Thanks.

CalifJim · Answer

MusicgoldI chose 'have' because I wanted to convey that the state still continues. Why did you prefer 'had'?

Because we virtually always use the past tense after the expressions "I thought that" and "I knew that". Also because you use wouldn't, not won't, later in the sentence. In short, had makes all the tenses in the sentence consistent.

You might do a semi-indirect report of your thoughts like this:

I was thinking: (pause) You already have enough people to keep tabs on, and you [won't/don't] want one more.

This 'semi-indirect' technique is fairly common in novels.

MusicgoldI wanted to convey that the discount is still available. I feel that 'were' suggests that the discount no longer exists. Do you agree?

No. The use of were doesn't imply that the discount is no longer available. But you can use are if you want.

CJ

Musicgold · Answer

Thanks CJ.

CalifJim Because we virtually always use the past tense after the expressions "I thought that" and "I knew that".

This kind of thumb rules are really useful.

Are these sentences natural? September 8

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