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Inchoateknowledge Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

past tense of must in reported speech

1.) "You must be wrong," he said. (probability)

will be:

He said I must be wrong.

and not

He said I had to be wrong.

-------------------------------------

2.) "You must appologize," he said. (external moral obligation)

will be:

He said I had to appologize.

and not

He said I must appologize.

--------------------------------------

Am I right in thinking that 'must' goes through a modal change if and only if it expresses obligation or necessity?

Please, note that I made up the sentences myself -- they might be incorrect.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

) "You must be wrong," he said. (probability) will be: He said I must be wrong. > Would you say that epistemic "you have to be wrong" is common"?

  • ) "You must be wrong," he said.
  • (probability) will be: He said I must be wrong.
  • > Would you say that epistemic "you have to be wrong" is common"?
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6 Answers
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<1.) "You must be wrong," he said. (probability)

will be:

He said I must be wrong.

and not

He said I had to be wrong.>

Would you say that epistemic "you have to be wrong" is common"?
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Would you say that epistemic "you have to be wrong" is common"?

scarce as hen's teeth.
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As per Swan, must is usually unchanged in indirect speech after past reporting verbs:
-------
Direct: It must be really late. I really must go.
Indirect: She said it must be pretty late and she really must go.

Swan, reporting (3), advanced points, modal verbs in indirect speech
-------
Valid for other
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page 337?

Hi Marius.

361/6 advanced point?

The doctor said I had to/must stop smoking. Indeed, but

this book says it has to be changed:

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We might not have the same edition.
In my case, it's
Swan
482, reporting (3), advanced points, item 5, modal verbs in indirect speech
on page 505
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Both versions seem acceptable (and I think so), per this reference quoting Quirk:

http://www.longman.com/ae/azar/grammar_ex/message_board/archive/articles/00023.htm

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