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Bubr Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Tenses in reported speech
At school we were taught that the sentence She said "I love you" , being converted from direct speech to reported speech form, sounds like She said she loveD me .
The verb in the second sentence stands in Past Simple instead of Present Simple: loveD . The teachers emphasised the relevance of this rule because it contradicts the logic of our native language, Russian.
Although this rule of changing tenses in reported speech seems fine to me (she said she loveD me then, but it doesn't mean that she is still loving me
, I still feel like using the 'incorrect' tense in some cases.
It is when the thing that was spoken out was definitely CONSTANT or obviously HASN'T CHANGED by now. For example,
At the first lecture the professor told us that Mathematics isn't easy. instead of wasn't easy [because it is as difficult now as it was then and as will always be!]
I told her that I am a vampire only yesterday. instead of I was [because I couldn't have changed within one day!]
Is it correct?
The verb in the second sentence stands in Past Simple instead of Present Simple: loveD . The teachers emphasised the relevance of this rule because it contradicts the logic of our native language, Russian.
Although this rule of changing tenses in reported speech seems fine to me (she said she loveD me then, but it doesn't mean that she is still loving me
, I still feel like using the 'incorrect' tense in some cases.It is when the thing that was spoken out was definitely CONSTANT or obviously HASN'T CHANGED by now. For example,
At the first lecture the professor told us that Mathematics isn't easy. instead of wasn't easy [because it is as difficult now as it was then and as will always be!]
I told her that I am a vampire only yesterday. instead of I was [because I couldn't have changed within one day!]
Is it correct?
Top answer
At the first lecture the professor told us that Mathematics isn't easy. Your example is not a reported speech as reported speech involves an open and close brackets. So ' wasn't ' should be used to make the sentence look parallel.
- At the first lecture the professor told us that Mathematics isn't easy.
- Your example is not a reported speech as reported speech involves an open and close brackets.
- So ' wasn't ' should be used to make the sentence look parallel.
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18 Answers
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At the first lecture the professor told us that Mathematics isn't easy.
Your example is not a reported speech as reported speech involves an open and close brackets. So ' wasn't ' should be used to make the sentence look parallel.
Your example is not a reported speech as reported speech involves an open and close brackets. So ' wasn't ' should be used to make the sentence look parallel.
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I also feel many times that reported speech rules should simply not be there, for the same reason as mentioned above, namely, that if something is constant in nature, I feel it's awkward to refer to it in the past.
The professor told us: "Mathematics isn't easy".
The professor told us that mathematics isn't easy.
If I said "wasn't" there, it would sound to me like mathema
The professor told us: "Mathematics isn't easy".
The professor told us that mathematics isn't easy.
If I said "wasn't" there, it would sound to me like mathema
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whl626, according to my conception, direct speech is written in brackets: The professor said: "Mathematics isn't easy." , whereas reported speech is retelling of other person's words: The professor said that mathematics isn't/wasn't easy.
If it's not correct definition - sorry, but that's what I meant.
If it's not correct definition - sorry, but that's what I meant.
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Dinosm, do you mean that reported speech rule doesn't sound good to you in this example, either, but it must still be applied? Did I get you right?
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Wait wait 
. I think you are right. I got a mix-up though. But I still think
' The professor said that Mathematic
. I think you are right. I got a mix-up though. But I still think' The professor said that Mathematic
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Yes, "the professor said that mathematics wasn't easy" is the grammatically correct form and it is what should be said if you want to speak and write correctly.
What I meant above is that to me personally this structure doesn't sound logical, and it is the only part of grammar that I would (and most of the time do) misuse on purpose!
What I meant above is that to me personally this structure doesn't sound logical, and it is the only part of grammar that I would (and most of the time do) misuse on purpose!
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Going back to where we started: Would it be possible to say " She said she loves you", if she said that yesterday but it still applies to the present?
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Yeah!
Beatles!
She said she loves you, and you know that can't be bad! She loves you, and you know you should be glad. She loves you! Yeah Yeah Yeah!
Great, maj! If someone accuses me of ignorance for using Present Simple in this case, I will refer to The Beatles
Beatles!
She said she loves you, and you know that can't be bad! She loves you, and you know you should be glad. She loves you! Yeah Yeah Yeah!
Great, maj! If someone accuses me of ignorance for using Present Simple in this case, I will refer to The Beatles
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Wow,Burb, I must say that is a brilliant idea. You know students love songs.
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Responding to Bubr's original post.
It is CORRECT to say: The professor told us that mathematics ISN'T easy (present tense).
This is because it is a construction called a "known truth", that is, a statement which is assumed to be true for all time. Other examples might be: I told him that cats like milk.
Rommie
It is CORRECT to say: The professor told us that mathematics ISN'T easy (present tense).
This is because it is a construction called a "known truth", that is, a statement which is assumed to be true for all time. Other examples might be: I told him that cats like milk.
Rommie
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