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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Tenses question
Hi teacher,
Which one is possible?
I did not know that I have to write complete sentences.
I did not know that I had to write complete sentences.
Also, when writing a sentence beginning with 'did you know', should what follows be in the present or past tense. For example, did you know that exercising is good for your health. Or should 'was' be used instead of 'is' due to using did you know?
Which one is possible?
I did not know that I have to write complete sentences.
I did not know that I had to write complete sentences.
Also, when writing a sentence beginning with 'did you know', should what follows be in the present or past tense. For example, did you know that exercising is good for your health. Or should 'was' be used instead of 'is' due to using did you know?
Top answer
I did not know that I had to write complete sentences. Both are possible. The second is the most common.
- I did not know that I had to write complete sentences.
- Both are possible.
- The second is the most common.
- Anonymous did you know that exercising is good for your health.
- That is the most common.
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3 Answers
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AnonymousWhich one is possible?I did not know that I have to write complete sentences.I did not know that I had to write complete sentences.Both are possible.
The second is the most common.
Anonymousdid you know that exercising is good for your health.That is the most common. Along with all other general truth stateme
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Thank you.
So for the first question. 'I did not know' does not have to be follwed by a past tense, and the present tense 'have' is possible eventhough 'I did not know' is past oriented?
For the second question, starting with 'did you know' has nothing to do with the past and is related to general statments, and that is why it is followed by present tenses? So it should not be: did
So for the first question. 'I did not know' does not have to be follwed by a past tense, and the present tense 'have' is possible eventhough 'I did not know' is past oriented?
For the second question, starting with 'did you know' has nothing to do with the past and is related to general statments, and that is why it is followed by present tenses? So it should not be: did
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The guideline is that when you have indirect speech, the verb tense is usually back-shifted. There are exceptions.
Teacher: You got a zero on your homework because you didn't write whole sentences.
Student: I didn't know I had to write whole sentences. (for this homework assignment)
Mary: Joan is dating Harry.
Sue: But I thought Joan was married to Bill!
Teacher: You got a zero on your homework because you didn't write whole sentences.
Student: I didn't know I had to write whole sentences. (for this homework assignment)
Mary: Joan is dating Harry.
Sue: But I thought Joan was married to Bill!
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