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JungKim Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
She was leaving before he returns.
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (CGEL), p156, says that the following reported speeches are possible:
[25]
i I am leaving before he returns. [original utterance]
ii She said she was leaving before he returned. [backshifted + backshifted]
iii She said she was leaving before he returns. [backshifted + non-backshifted]
iv She said she is leaving before he returns. [non-backshifted + non-backshifted]
My question is directed to [25iii], which CGEL says is grammatical.
If used as a main clause, would the subordinate clause of [25iii] be possible English?
She was leaving before he returns.
[25]
i I am leaving before he returns. [original utterance]
ii She said she was leaving before he returned. [backshifted + backshifted]
iii She said she was leaving before he returns. [backshifted + non-backshifted]
iv She said she is leaving before he returns. [non-backshifted + non-backshifted]
My question is directed to [25iii], which CGEL says is grammatical.
If used as a main clause, would the subordinate clause of [25iii] be possible English?
She was leaving before he returns.
Top answer
She was leaving before he returns. No. Not for me.
- She was leaving before he returns.
- No.
- Not for me.
- Not as an isolated sentence.
- Still, it's just possible that there might be a situation in which you might hear this.
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7 Answers
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JungKimIf used as a main clause, would the subordinate clause of [25iii] be possible English?She was leaving before he returns.No. Not for me. Not as an isolated sentence. Still, it's just possible that there might be a situation in which you might hear this. It's purely contextual whether that sentence will sound right or not.
CJ
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CalifJimNo. Not for me. Not as an isolated sentence.Actually, I agree that it's not really possible.
CalifJimStill, it's just possible that there might be a situation in which you might hear this. It's purely contextual whether that sentence will sound right or not.Could you please come up with such a situation, if you co
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JungKimCould you please come up with such a situation, if you could?On Monday, she said "I am leaving before he returns".
Knowing that 'she' had arranged to leave on Wednesday and that 'he' will return on Friday, the speaker can report this on Thursday as She said she was leaving before he returns.
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Thanks, fivejedjon.That was helpful in my understanding of [25iii].
However, I actually was asking for a context for "She was leaving before he returns." as a standalone direct speech. It could also be "I was leaving before he returns."
And while writing the sentences, a context just occurred to me. Could you verify if the following context works?
Same context as yours,
However, I actually was asking for a context for "She was leaving before he returns." as a standalone direct speech. It could also be "I was leaving before he returns."
And while writing the sentences, a context just occurred to me. Could you verify if the following context works?
Same context as yours,
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JungKim "I was leaving before he returns."It's possible, but "I was going to leave before he return" is more likely.
Note that if we try hard enough, we can think up a context for the most unlikely of sentences. I once came up with one for "We did it tomorrow last year, but George wants to do it yesterday next year". Its an interesting, if rather art
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fivejedjonIt's possibleThanks. Is this possible as well?
The same context as before, and now she says on Thursday, "I was leaving before he returned."
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