Sentence inquiry

Mister MicawberWhat do you mean when you say you were a headache?What did you mean when you said you were a headache?

Thanks, teacher. Should'nt 'are' also be used instead of 'were' since you changed 'said' to 'say' in your first example? If no, would you explain please?

That is a different situation: that clause is subordinated and may reflect an earlier time, so the tense is optional. In order to focus on your question, I chose to leave it unchanged.

Mister MicawberThat is a different situation: that clause is subordinated and may reflect an earlier time, so the tense is optional. In order to focus on your question, I chose to leave it unchanged.

Thank you. What do you mean by 'the clause is subordinated' and the entire explanation. Sorry I am not sure I understood.

Do you mean that the past part

AnonymousDo you mean that the past part of the sentence is separate than the first present part, and thus can appear in whatever tense

Not exactly, but it does depend on whether she was a headache only in the past or she is still a headache now also.

Mister Micawber AnonymousDo you mean that the past part of the sentence is separate than the first present part, and thus can appear in whatever tenseNot exactly, but it does depend on whether she was a headache only in the past or she is still a headache now also.

I see. But what I am asking is that how is it possible that you combine the simple tense part of

Anonymous the simple tense part of the sentence

You've lost me. Which part is that?

Anonymouswith the past part (you were a headache)

In which sentence?

1.
A: I am a headache.
B: What do you mean when you say you are a headache?

C (next day): What did you mean when you said you are/were a headache?

Backshifting is possible with the underlined verbs, but it is not essential if A is still a headache,

2.
A: I was a headache
B: What do you mean when you say you wer

Mister MicawberWhich part is that?Anonymouswith the past part (you were a headache)In which sentence?

I meant in this sentence : “What do you mean when you say you were a headache"

How can you combine the present part (what do you mean when you say) with the past part (you were a headache)?

Is the explanation to this comb

AnonymousIs the explanation to this combination is that I am asking a question now (in the present) about something that happened in the past?

That's right.