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Noori Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

past tense.

I found following sentence on an online English exercise web site, is it correct?

My friend said she doesn't know any foreign languages.

is it correct? should it not "My frirend said she didn't know any foreign languages" ?
  

Top answer

Noori I found following sentence on an online English exercise web site, is it correct? My friend said she doesn't know any foreign languages. is it correct?

— Yoong Liat

  • Noori I found following sentence on an online English exercise web site, is it correct?
  • My friend said she doesn't know any foreign languages.
  • is it correct?
  • should it not "My frirend said she didn't know any foreign languages" ?
  • Both are correct.
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10 Answers
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NooriI found following sentence on an online English exercise web site, is it correct?

My friend said she doesn't know any foreign languages.

is it correct? should it not "My frirend said she didn't know any foreign languages" ?
Both are correct.

My friend said she doesn't know any foreign languages. (This emphasises that he d
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ahem! I really didn't get your point, in fact the explanation of the first sentence, to me it is grammatically wrong.
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Nooriahem! I really didn't get your point, in fact the explanation of the first sentence, to me it is grammatically wrong.
My friend said she doesn't know any foreign languages. (This emphasises that he doesn't know any foreign languages.)

Let's see if another member shares your view that I'm wrong in regard to the above sentence.
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I also think that both are correct.
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Hello,

I agree with Yoong Liat.

It's okay to use the present tense after 'said' when we are reporting a present tense sentence, if the sentence is still true. So, we can say 'my friend said she doesn't know..' (because now she still doesn't know any foreign languages). But, it's much more usual to use the past tense - that's why it sounds strange.

Hope this helps,
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SeonaidIt's okay to use the present tense after 'said' when we are reporting a present tense sentence, if the sentence is still true.
yes, if this is a rule then it will also grammatically okay. Yoong Liat, I didn't say you were wrong, I only commented that to me sentence is grammatically wrong. It is quite possible that in converstion anglophones do use
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Seonaid
Hello,

I agree with Yoong Liat.

It's okay to use the present tense after 'said' when we are reporting a present tense sentence, if the sentence is still true. So, we can say 'my friend said she doesn't know..' (because now she still doesn't know any foreign languages). But, it's much more usual to use the past tense - that's why it sounds st
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Hi Yoong Liat,

Thank you for the welcome!

The example about age is a good one, because if he had passed his eleventh birthday, we would have to say: 'he said he was ten years old'

Seonaid
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Noori
Seonaid
It's okay to use the present tense after 'said' when we are reporting a present tense sentence, if the sentence is still true.

yes, if this is a rule then it will also grammatically okay. Yoong Liat, I didn't say you were wrong, I only commented that to me sentence is grammatically wrong. It is quite poss
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SeonaidHi Yoong Liat,

Thank you for the welcome!

The example about age is a good one, because if he had passed his eleventh birthday, we would have to say: 'he said he was ten years old'

Seonaid

I agree.
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