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Question

Greg said he _____ help next time. (A) would request (B) will request (C) might have requested (D) requestedmy friend told the answer for the above question is would request , but why would request ? would refers to past and will refers to the future . will request help next time is correct right ?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Your friend is correct. (A) is the answer. "Would" has many uses.

(B) would be, Greg says he will request help next time. .

(C) would be, Greg said he might have requested help last time. .

(D) would be, Greg said he requested help last time.

Cool Breeze · Answer

Avangi has given you the right answer. I'll just elaborate a little. A phenomenon called the sequence of tenses influences the choice of tenses. We can divide the tenses and auxiliaries in two groups, A and B, and there is usually a strong tendency not to wander from one group to the other in a sentence, even if this may seem to distort the meaning.

The groups contain the following tenses and auxiliaries.

A
present tense
present perfect
can
shall
will
may
must

B
past tense
past perfect / pluperfect
could
should
would
might
must
ought

In your sentence, said is past tense and thus it is in group B. Consequently would must be used because it, too, is in group B. Will is in group A and is wrong.

Many people prefer to say
I knew that he lived in London rather than I knew that he lives in London even if the person lives there now.

CB

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Greg said he would request help next time.

This is an example of "indirect speech." The present or future in direct speech is changed to past in indirect speech. Will becomes "would".

Greg said, "I will request help next time." (direct)
Greg told me that he would request help next time. (indirect)

He said, "I will vote in the next election."
He said that he would vote in the next election.

Avangi · Answer

AnonymousGreg said he ___ help next time.

Anonymouswill request help next time is correct, right ?

From a logical point of view, it's very difficult to make the case that "Greg said he will request help next time." is incorrect.
Alas, we just have to follow the rules.

Grammarfreak · Answer

AvangiFrom a logical point of view, it's very difficult to make the case that "Greg said he will request help next time." is incorrect.Alas, we just have to follow the rules.

I don't mean to create opposing opinions but I see it entirely logical to have past and present tense within a context. Check this out:

Scenario: Greg bought a TV cabinet set from Ikea. After he got home, he couldn't wait to put it together. So he cut the packaging open and started assembling the parts without verifying the hardware manifest, and read the instruction. The job was supposed to take an hour or less. Because he used the wrong screws at the wrong joints which took him a while to figure out, the assembling took him nearly 2 hours. Afterward, he said next ime he will definitely go through the instruction carefully before opening the tool box.

Avangi · Answer

grammarfreakI don't mean to create opposing opinions

Oh, go ahead! (especially when you're right!)

Cool Breeze · Answer

grammarfreakBecause he used the wrong screws at the wrong joints which took him a while to figure out, the assembling took him nearly 2 hours.

I agree with you. That's why I didn't say the sequence of tenses always applied. I even forgot to mention it usually occurs in subordinate clauses beginning with that and some other conjunctions. Of course it is avoided, for example, when someone is quoted verbatim.

As for the sentence above, there should be a comma after joints because the antecedent is the preceding clause, in other words the fact that it took him a while to figure out he had used the wrong screws at the wrong joints.

Grammarfreak · Answer

Cool BreezeAs for the sentence above, there should be a comma after joints because the antecedent is the preceding clause, in other words the fact that it took him a while to figure out he had used the wrong screws at the wrong joints.

Hi CB,
Appreciate your comments. With a comma, "which" becomes non-restrictive. Maybe I am wrong. I didn't put a comma after "joints" because I intentionally use "which " restrictively as I deemed " which " parenthetically meant "wrong joints".

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