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Jazzmaster Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Indirect Narration in past perfect
I need your input:
Q:
I have this sentence in the past perfect tense:
If I had seen her at the party, I would have said to her, "we can get together later".
Converting this sentence into an indirect narration, which one would it be?:
a. If I had seen her at the party, I would have told her that we could get together later.
b. If I had seen her at the party, I would have told her that we could have gotten together later.
The point I am asking is, in a past perfect sentence, whether "we can get together later" part should be in the simple past tense or in the present perfect tense. Explanation is appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
J
Q:
I have this sentence in the past perfect tense:
If I had seen her at the party, I would have said to her, "we can get together later".
Converting this sentence into an indirect narration, which one would it be?:
a. If I had seen her at the party, I would have told her that we could get together later.
b. If I had seen her at the party, I would have told her that we could have gotten together later.
The point I am asking is, in a past perfect sentence, whether "we can get together later" part should be in the simple past tense or in the present perfect tense. Explanation is appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
J
Top answer
That's an interesting one. Just going by instinct, I'd definitely choose the first version. I have no explanation at this time.
- That's an interesting one.
- Just going by instinct, I'd definitely choose the first version.
- I have no explanation at this time.
- Sorry.
- As an aside, I'd probably also use the subjunctive.
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3 Answers
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That's an interesting one. Just going by instinct, I'd definitely choose the first version. I have no explanation at this time. Sorry.
As an aside, I'd probably also use the subjunctive. "I would have suggested [that] we get together later."
As an aside, I'd probably also use the subjunctive. "I would have suggested [that] we get together later."
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Thanks, Avangi
Glad you liked it. Never have I thought about this before.
Actually your subjunctive sample suggests a very interesting point. After the verb "suggested", the verb "get" is left to be in the present tense.
J
Glad you liked it. Never have I thought about this before.
Actually your subjunctive sample suggests a very interesting point. After the verb "suggested", the verb "get" is left to be in the present tense.
J
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when i reached home my mother had slept.
how do we change this sentence in indirect speech
1 She told me that her mother had slept when she had reached home.
2 She told me that her mother had slept when she reached home
which is correct in these two sentence
thanks in advace
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