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OrtonR Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

thought + present/past tense

Doing a lot of research over which tense to be used after "I thought + present tense /past tense" , I believe that present tense should be used even if the statement is still true at the time of utterance.
But what if the statement expresses an eternal truth i.e; (moon causes tides, earth goes round the sun, water boils at 100 degrees)
I thought that water boils at 100 degrees.
I thought that two plus two is four.

So is it right to use present tense in cases of eternal truth ?
  

Top answer

", you are questioning (even if rhetorically) whether something is an eternal truth. Therefore, I would use the "past" tense (not a true past) in such cases.

— GPY

  • ", you are questioning (even if rhetorically) whether something is an eternal truth.
  • Therefore, I would use the "past" tense (not a true past) in such cases.
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31 Answers
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The problem is that by saying "I thought ...", you are questioning (even if rhetorically) whether something is an eternal truth. Therefore, I would use the "past" tense (not a true past) in such cases.
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ortonRI thought
Save yourself the mental angst of deciding. Always use the past (or past perfect if necessary) after I thought (that).

CJ
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Well suggested Sir !
And what about "I didn't know + past/present tense "

I didn't know that two plus two is four.
I didn't know that water boils at 100 degrees.
Does they sound right ?
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ortonRAnd what about "I didn't know + past/present tense "
I didn't know that two plus two is four.
I didn't know that water boils at 100 degrees.
Does Do they sound right ?
Yes. They sound right. However, the following also sound right:

I didn't know that two plus two was four.
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In a study that looked at medical students' perceptions of ECT, more than half thought ECT causes pain, nearly a quarter thought it causes brain damage, and 40% felt it was misused by psychiatrists. - Brain Stimulation Therapies for Treatment-Resistant Depression; Psychiatric Times
Shouldn't it be "more than half thought ECT caused pain, nearly a quarter thought it caused brain damage"?
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ortonRShouldn't it be "more than half thought ECT caused pain, nearly a quarter thought it caused brain damage"?
It could be, but it doesn't have to be.
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Some say that even in cases of eternal truth past tense should be used after "I thought +...." and there are some who say that present tense could be used depending on context.
Could you please give a context in which present tense fits better.
Thanks !
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ortonRSome say that even in cases of eternal truth past tense should be used after "I thought +...."
Who are these 'some'?
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Actually sir I have gone through the similar threads on almost every forum and there i found that mixed answers which really confused me. However I found a somewhat satisfied reply which goes like this -

"I also feel that past tense should be used after "I thought + ..." but in cases of eternal truth we may use present as well.
I thought that water boiled at 100 degrees. (Here it th
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ortonRActually sir I have gone through the similar threads on almost every forum and there i found that mixed answers which really confused me.
I suspect that is because you are trying to get an absolute rule - and there isn't one.
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