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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Reported speech with the word "told"
Hi. I think the sentence below is an example of reported speech and the use of the modal "could" is illustrative of the past use of the modal "can." What puzzles me is the present perfect tense in what looks to be an appositive "has been." I venture to think (with a lot of hesitation) that no back-shifitng has occurred for this present perfect part since it has the phrase "since last August," but not sure what to make of the reason for not back-shifting (if there is one). Is it common not to back-shift in this kind of situations?
He told her that John Doe, a XX-year-old man who has been unemployed since last February, could face the possibility of prolonged financial difficulty.
He told her that John Doe, a XX-year-old man who has been unemployed since last February, could face the possibility of prolonged financial difficulty.
Top answer
" I venture to think (with a lot of hesitation) that no back-shifitng has occurred for this present perfect part since it has the phrase "since last August," but not sure what to make of the reason for not back-shifting (if there is one). Is it common not to back-shift in this kind of situations? He told her that John Doe, a XX-year-old man who has been unemployed since last February, could face the possibility of prolonged financial difficulty.
- " I venture to think (with a lot of hesitation) that no back-shifitng has occurred for this present perfect part since it has the phrase "since last August," but not sure what to make of the reason for not back-shifting (if there is one).
- Is it common not to back-shift in this kind of situations?
- He told her that John Doe, a XX-year-old man who has been unemployed since last February, could face the possibility of prolonged financial difficulty.
- I would deduce from this - the speech was reported less than a year from the February 'he' spoke of.
- - John Doe has not had a birthday since then, so he is age has not changed - John Doe had been unemployed from last February to the time that 'he' told her this, and that he was still unemployed 'since last February' at the time of reporting the speech.
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1 Answers
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Hi,
I think the sentence below is an example of reported speech and the use of the modal "could" is illustrative of the past use of the modal "can." What puzzles me is the present perfect tense in what looks to be an appositive "has been." I venture to think (with a lot of hesitation) that no back-shifitng has occurred for this present perfect part since it has the phrase "since last Aug
I think the sentence below is an example of reported speech and the use of the modal "could" is illustrative of the past use of the modal "can." What puzzles me is the present perfect tense in what looks to be an appositive "has been." I venture to think (with a lot of hesitation) that no back-shifitng has occurred for this present perfect part since it has the phrase "since last Aug
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