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Optimus Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Past Perfect
She confirmed that they had become a couple.
Hello. Could the above sentence possibly imply that they were a couple but not anymore?
Or it can only mean that they are still a couple? Also, which of the following are correct?
1. She confirmed that they became a couple.
2. She confirmed that they have become a couple.
3. She confirmed that they are a couple.
Thank you
Hello. Could the above sentence possibly imply that they were a couple but not anymore?
Or it can only mean that they are still a couple? Also, which of the following are correct?
1. She confirmed that they became a couple.
2. She confirmed that they have become a couple.
3. She confirmed that they are a couple.
Thank you
Top answer
"becoming a couple" is so ambigous that I don't really see any defined sigificance here. It could imply they live together as a couple, but not married, or simply dating each other. We need to establish the core statement first before the tenses.
- "becoming a couple" is so ambigous that I don't really see any defined sigificance here.
- It could imply they live together as a couple, but not married, or simply dating each other.
- We need to establish the core statement first before the tenses.
- strictly basing on what I read, I would say: 1.
- She confirmed that they became a couple.
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6 Answers
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"becoming a couple" is so ambigous that I don't really see any defined sigificance here. It could imply they live together as a couple, but not married, or simply dating each other. We need to establish the core statement first before the tenses. strictly basing on what I read, I would say:
1. She confirmed that they became a couple. - She had
1. She confirmed that they became a couple. - She had
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Hi,
She confirmed that they had become a couple.
Hello. Could the above sentence possibly imply that they were a couple but not anymore? Yes, but it's not the first meaning I would think of.
Also, which of the following are correct? They are all OK, but with different shades of meaning.
1. She con
She confirmed that they had become a couple.
Hello. Could the above sentence possibly imply that they were a couple but not anymore? Yes, but it's not the first meaning I would think of.
Also, which of the following are correct? They are all OK, but with different shades of meaning.
1. She con
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Hello,
You're saying that "She confirmed that they have become a couple" is OK. It seems that this contradicts everything I have learned about reported speech, i.e. She confirmed: "They have become a couple." vs. She confirmed that they had become a couple.
I must be misunderstanding something. Could you please explain it a bit?
You're saying that "She confirmed that they have become a couple" is OK. It seems that this contradicts everything I have learned about reported speech, i.e. She confirmed: "They have become a couple." vs. She confirmed that they had become a couple.
I must be misunderstanding something. Could you please explain it a bit?
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Hi,
You're saying that "She confirmed that they have become a couple" is OK. It seems that this contradicts everything I have learned about reported speech, i.e. She confirmed: "They have become a couple." vs. She confirmed that they had become a couple.
I must be misunderstanding something. Could you please explain it a bit? Let me offer an e
You're saying that "She confirmed that they have become a couple" is OK. It seems that this contradicts everything I have learned about reported speech, i.e. She confirmed: "They have become a couple." vs. She confirmed that they had become a couple.
I must be misunderstanding something. Could you please explain it a bit? Let me offer an e
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Hello, Clive.
This is an interesting topic - and a tough one for a learner too. In fact, in your dialogue, I would have expected the journalist to say: "OK, she's confirmed that they..." Then, of course, no change of tense would be needed as the main clause would be in a present tense too.
There is also a quite different point in the dialogue that I'm interested in. Would it be
This is an interesting topic - and a tough one for a learner too. In fact, in your dialogue, I would have expected the journalist to say: "OK, she's confirmed that they..." Then, of course, no change of tense would be needed as the main clause would be in a present tense too.
There is also a quite different point in the dialogue that I'm interested in. Would it be
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Would it be also OK for the journalist to ask: "Is that true?" instead of "Is this true?"
Yes, that would be okay . And so would "Is it true?"
You can also say "She has confirmed" along with "She confirmed."
Yes, that would be okay . And so would "Is it true?"
You can also say "She has confirmed" along with "She confirmed."
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