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Rom Reigns Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
back shifting of tense
Hello !
There is an exception in indirect speech - "If the reported words are still true or still relevant at the time of reporting then the back shifting of tenses become optional."
For example -
I live in London.
He said that he lives in London. (If he still lives in London.)
Now my question is, I often see that the past tense is left unchanged in reported speech. Like -
"I bought a car." (Direct speech )
"He said that he bought a car ". (Indirect speech)
Here since the simple past tense is not back shifted to past perfect tense, so is it because that the reporting words are still true and still relevant at the time of reporting just like I mentioned above or or is it to avoid the statement from being too wordy ?
Thank You.
There is an exception in indirect speech - "If the reported words are still true or still relevant at the time of reporting then the back shifting of tenses become optional."
For example -
I live in London.
He said that he lives in London. (If he still lives in London.)
Now my question is, I often see that the past tense is left unchanged in reported speech. Like -
"I bought a car." (Direct speech )
"He said that he bought a car ". (Indirect speech)
Here since the simple past tense is not back shifted to past perfect tense, so is it because that the reporting words are still true and still relevant at the time of reporting just like I mentioned above or or is it to avoid the statement from being too wordy ?
Thank You.
Top answer
The past perfect is a relatively "complicated" tense, and people may dispense with it if does not seem essential to conveying the meaning. Note also that "he'd bought" and "he bought" can sound very similar.
- The past perfect is a relatively "complicated" tense, and people may dispense with it if does not seem essential to conveying the meaning.
- Note also that "he'd bought" and "he bought" can sound very similar.
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62 Answers
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The past perfect is a relatively "complicated" tense, and people may dispense with it if does not seem essential to conveying the meaning. Note also that "he'd bought" and "he bought" can sound very similar.
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So if the past tense is left unchanged in reported speech then what may be the reason ?
Is it because the the reporting words are still true at the time of reporting or is it to avoid the statement from being too wordy ?
RR
Is it because the the reporting words are still true at the time of reporting or is it to avoid the statement from being too wordy ?
RR
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GPY has already said that people may dispense with it if does not seem essential to conveying the meaning. That just about says it all.
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Rom ReignsSo if the past tense is left unchanged in reported speech then what may be the reason ?Is it because the the reporting words are still true at the time of reporting or is it to avoid the statement from being too wordy ?RRThe concept of being "true at the time of reporting" is hardly applicable to "he bought a car" (unlike "he lives in London", for e
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GPYThe concept of being "true at the time of reporting" is hardly applicable to "he bought a car" (unlike "he lives in London", for example).So you mean to say that if the simple past tense is left unchanged in indirect speech then it is not because of the reason that the "reporting words are still true at the time of reporting."
Is that what you m
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Rom Reigns what will you say about the sentences ?He asked what his name is.He asked where you live.Here how do you justify for not back shifting the tenses ?RRIt does not need justifying. Read the whole thread.
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I remember once I asked a question - Can one use the sentences :
He asked what his name is.& He asked where he lives.
You replied that "Yes."
My question is under what context it is correct to say these sentences ?
You see, If the sentence was - He said that he lives in London.
Here I know it is completely natural to not back shift the tense
He asked what his name is.& He asked where he lives.
You replied that "Yes."
My question is under what context it is correct to say these sentences ?
You see, If the sentence was - He said that he lives in London.
Here I know it is completely natural to not back shift the tense
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Rom ReignsYou see, If the sentence was - He said that he lives in London. Here I know it is completely natural to not back shift the tense if he still lives in London.But what if the sentence is "I asked where he lives." & "I asked what his name is." Here whats the reason for not back shifting the tenses ?The reporter is reporting that the person who asked th
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