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Tenacious Learner Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

'they thought' instead of 'they think'

Hello teachers,
I think the sentence, from a book, is wrong as it is written:
'And so they were angry with me in prison, because they think that I know the murderer’s name.’
Shouldn't the whole sentence be in past? It is a reported speech sentence, isn't it?
'And so they were angry with me in prison, because they thought that I knew the murderer’s name.’

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

"thought ... knew" would be usual for a past-tense narrative, but "think ... know" is possible if they still think that the narrator or speaker knows the murderer's name.

— GPY

  • "thought ...
  • knew" would be usual for a past-tense narrative, but "think ...
  • know" is possible if they still think that the narrator or speaker knows the murderer's name.
  • It all depends on the overall context.
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6 Answers
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"thought ... knew" would be usual for a past-tense narrative, but "think ... know" is possible if they still think that the narrator or speaker knows the murderer's name. It all depends on the overall context.
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Tenacious LearnerShouldn't the whole sentence be in past?
That certainly makes more sense to me. Yes.
Tenacious LearnerIt is a reported speech sentence, isn't it?
Not quite. They didn't say anything. I guess you could call it a "reported thought" sentence, but the grammar is the same in any case.
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Hi GPY,
Thanks for your help.

TL
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Hi Jim,
Thanks for your help too.
CalifJim I guess you could call it a "reported thought" sentence
Or a 'reported thinking', right?
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Tenacious LearnerOr a 'reported thinking'
We English speakers wouldn't say 'a reported thinking'. We say 'a reported thought'.
Tenacious Learnerthis is the correct question and answer, isn't it?Why were the police angry with him? Because they thought he knew the murderer’s name.
Right. It would be wrong to say "Because the
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CalifJimWe English speakers wouldn't say 'a reported thinking'. We say 'a reported thought'.
Hi Jim,
Thanks! I thought I could be possible.

TL
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