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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Past/Present
I consider my english to be decent, however, there's one thing (or a couple) I don't fully understand. So I'm going to show you a few examples. All help greatly appreciated!
"The difference is, that we managed to do it." - The thing I'm confused about here is that I'm mixing the "present" with the "past", is the sentence still grammatically correct? Or should I say "The difference was, that we managed to do it"?
"He said he doesn't like him" - Same as above basically, just another example of the same thing.
Thanks in advance!
/Peter
"The difference is, that we managed to do it." - The thing I'm confused about here is that I'm mixing the "present" with the "past", is the sentence still grammatically correct? Or should I say "The difference was, that we managed to do it"?
"He said he doesn't like him" - Same as above basically, just another example of the same thing.
Thanks in advance!
/Peter
Top answer
Anonymous I consider my english to be decent, however, there's one thing (or a couple) I don't fully understand. So I'm going to show you a few examples. All help greatly appreciated!
- Anonymous I consider my english to be decent, however, there's one thing (or a couple) I don't fully understand.
- So I'm going to show you a few examples.
- All help greatly appreciated!
- " - The thing I'm confused about here is that I'm mixing the "present" with the "past", is the sentence still grammatically correct?
- Or should I say "The difference was, that we managed to do it"?
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6 Answers
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AnonymousI consider my english to be decent, however, there's one thing (or a couple) I don't fully understand. So I'm going to show you a few examples. All help greatly appreciated!
"The difference is, that we managed to do it." - The thing I'm confused about here is that I'm mixing the "present" with the "past", is the sentence still grammatically correct? Or s
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Hello, Peter!
The correct tense depends on the context.
For example, if you're talking to your friend and say
«He (1) said he doesn't like him (2)» — then you imply that that person (the first "he") had a conversation with you not long ago, and his attitude towards the second "he" hasn't changed.
[edit]
But if you say «... that he didn't like him», that won't b
The correct tense depends on the context.
For example, if you're talking to your friend and say
«He (1) said he doesn't like him (2)» — then you imply that that person (the first "he") had a conversation with you not long ago, and his attitude towards the second "he" hasn't changed.
[edit]
But if you say «... that he didn't like him», that won't b
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The difference is (or was) that we managed to do it.
It seems to me that difference is a timeless abstraction. You can use the present tense for such an abstraction, or you can just match tenses with the other verb (managed). It really doesn't make any difference.
CJ
It seems to me that difference is a timeless abstraction. You can use the present tense for such an abstraction, or you can just match tenses with the other verb (managed). It really doesn't make any difference.
CJ
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«The difference is (or was) that we managed to do it.»
I'd say using the present tense implies more "actuality". Quite fuzzy and subtle, but still a difference... What do you think?
I'd say using the present tense implies more "actuality". Quite fuzzy and subtle, but still a difference... What do you think?
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"He said he doesn't/didn't like him"When you use didn't to match said, it's called backshifting.
Backshifting is always correct, but never required (except that it's strongly preferred after knew and thought).
Typically, with "said", if you're just relaying a message in "real time", you don't backshift.
A --
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using the present tense implies more "actuality"I suppose you could think of it that way, yes.
CJ
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