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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Sequence of Tenses
I am a bit confused at the use of either the simple past or the simple present after the main clause in the simple past in those instances when the subordinate clause does not denote the universal truth but some kind of continuous state or habitual action. When you google for such examples you get both variants. Here are some instances, off the top of my head:
She told him that the train usually arrived at 6 o'clock.
She told him that the train usually arrives at 6 o'clock.
She told him she liked ice-cream.
She told him she likes ice-cream.
She told him she believed in God.
She told him she believes in God.
She told him Oasis was her favourite group.
She told him Oasis is her favourite group.
If the subordinate clause refers to the time before that of the main clause, it should be the past perfect, right? I am not sure anymore with all the controversial examples I come across.
She told him that the train usually arrived at 6 o'clock.
She told him that the train usually arrives at 6 o'clock.
She told him she liked ice-cream.
She told him she likes ice-cream.
She told him she believed in God.
She told him she believes in God.
She told him Oasis was her favourite group.
She told him Oasis is her favourite group.
If the subordinate clause refers to the time before that of the main clause, it should be the past perfect, right? I am not sure anymore with all the controversial examples I come across.
Top answer
In all the cases you present, the writer has the choice of present or past simple in the reported clause, because the statements all still hold true at the moment: she believed in *** when she told him, and she believes in *** today (that is the necessary logical assumption, of course) None of those calls for the past perfect; this one does: She told him she had believed in *** until that moment .
- In all the cases you present, the writer has the choice of present or past simple in the reported clause, because the statements all still hold true at the moment: she believed in *** when she told him, and she believes in *** today (that is the necessary logical assumption, of course) None of those calls for the past perfect; this one does: She told him she had believed in *** until that moment .
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1 Answers
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In all the cases you present, the writer has the choice of present or past simple in the reported clause, because the statements all still hold true at the moment: she believed in *** when she told him, and she believes in *** today (that is the necessary logical assumption, of course)
None of those calls for the past perfect; this one does: She told him she had
None of those calls for the past perfect; this one does: She told him she had
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