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Nkspb Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Backshifting tenses with some verbs

Hello everybody! Could you help me, please?

Is it correct not to backshift tenses in a conversation in a sentence like this?

"I didn't know that she knows."

And one more thing.. I heard that native speakers usually don't backshift after reporting verbs, but do after verbs of attitude and believing. Is there any explanation to this?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

" It's odd, but not incorrect. nkspb I heard that native speakers usually don't backshift after reporting verbs You heard wrong. He reported that the man was a witness.

— AlpheccaStars

  • " It's odd, but not incorrect.
  • nkspb I heard that native speakers usually don't backshift after reporting verbs You heard wrong.
  • He reported that the man was a witness.
  • "
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7 Answers
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nkspbIs it correct not to backshift tenses in a conversation in a sentence like this?"I didn't know that she knows."
It's odd, but not incorrect.
nkspbI heard that native speakers usually don't backshift after reporting verbs
You heard wrong.

He reported that the man was a witness.
He reported, "The man is a w
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nkspbI heard that native speakers usually don't backshift after reporting verbs
Really? That's strange. It doesn't ring true to me. I would only report without a backshift if the report were essentially an immediate repetition:

— I'm too tired to go out tonight.
— I didn't hear you. What did you say?
— I said I'm too tir
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Thanks!

In many grammar sources they say that we can use the present tense after reporting verbs if the action described is still in the present:

"She said that she lives in a nice country."

Is it common to say in real life?
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nkspbwe can use the present tense after reporting verbs if the action described is still in the present:"She said that she lives in a nice country."
Yes, but the need for this grammatical pattern happens in real life much less often than you may think. In any case it's not wrong to backshift.

If you always backshifted, you would be in the good
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Just to understand how the real language is used Emotion: smile Thanks, CJ
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nkspbJust to understand how the real language is used
Language is used by individuals in different ways, and it evolves...
Wrestling a language down to a set of precise, immutable rules is like trying to nail jelly to a fence on a rainy day.
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CalifJimIf you always backshifted, you would be in the good company of millions and millions and millions of English speakers. So why agonize about when not to backshift?
I am someone who tends not to backshift unless it is essential, but I cannot disagree with CJ on this.
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