didnt know the earth is or didnt know the earth was

Question

Hi everyone pls help: after words like thought, said, knew, is it always followed by verbs in the past tense?eg. the ancient egyptians didnt know that the earth is round VS the ancient egyptians didnt know that the earth was roundsince the earth being round is a fact, which tense should be used in this case?Thanks for your help!

Yoong Liat · Accepted Answer

SJ88Hi everyone pls help: after words like thought, said, knew, is it always followed by verbs in the past tense?

eg. the ancient egyptians didnt know that the earth is round VS the ancient egyptians didnt know that the earth was round

since the earth being round is a fact, which tense should be used in this case?

I would write: "The ancient Egyptians didn't know that the earth was round" since the sentence is related to history.

SJ88 · Answer

what abt this: i didnt know that you two were/are brothers?

so in your opinion, it depends on the context of the sentence? and that there is no hard and fast rule

Yoong Liat · Answer

SJ88what abt this: i didnt know that you two were/are brothers?

so in your opinion, it depends on the context of the sentence? and that there is no hard and fast rule

I would write: I didn't know that you two were brothers. (didn't know and were are both past tense verbs)

I didn't know you were (not 'are') here.

Kooyeen · Answer

Hi, welcome SJ88.

When reporting, you can choose to backshift the verbs (= take them one more step into the past), or leave them as they are. It depends on many things, for example what you want to focus on, what you want ot emphasize, if a certain situation still exists, etc.
He told me the earth is round.
He told me the earth was round.

But after certain verbs backshifting is practically mandatory, because that's what sounds good to native speakers. These verbs are "think" and "know", for example.
He knew the earth was round.
He thought the earth was round.
I think other verbs like these are "realize" and "decide", for example.

That's all.

SJ88 · Answer

hi yoong liat and kooyeen

Thanks so much for your help!

by the way, kooyeen, do you mean that backshifting is used mainly because it sounds better? and that it is applicable when writing as well, and not just speaking?

thanks once again =)

didnt know the earth is or didnt know the earth was

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