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Perfect Stranger Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

to back-shift the tense or not in this sentence? no. 1

Hi,

Probably this question is gonna drive some people crazy as it keeps coming back but...

1. Should I back-shift the tense in this sentence? The situation is as follows: Adam tells Jingle what Lilly told him.

2. What tense would be most natural here? Past Simple or Pres. Perfect? The situation has taken place recently and as far as I know when we talk about recent events then we use Present Perfect.

Hey Jingle, I've just talked with Lilly and she told me/has told me she has/had some bad news for me.
  

Top answer

Perfect Stranger I've just talked with Lilly and she told me/has told me she has/had some bad news for me. Any of these are fine. I've just talked with Lilly and she told me she had some bad news for me.

— CalifJim

  • Perfect Stranger I've just talked with Lilly and she told me/has told me she has/had some bad news for me.
  • Any of these are fine.
  • I've just talked with Lilly and she told me she had some bad news for me.
  • I've just talked with Lilly and she told me she has some bad news for me.
  • I've just talked with Lilly and she tells me she has some bad news for me.
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5 Answers
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Perfect StrangerI've just talked with Lilly and she told me/has told me she has/had some bad news for me.
Any of these are fine.

I've just talked with Lilly and she told me she had some bad news for me.
I've just talked with Lilly and she told me she has some bad news for me.
I've just talked with Lilly and she tells me she has some bad news f
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CalifJimBasic principle: It is always correct to backshift.
I tend not to backshift when it is not essential, but I agree with CJ's basic principle. It's one I give to my students; it saves a lot of unnecessary worrying. ,
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Thx CJ.

Would the change of tense in this part of the sentence ...she told me / she has told me affect your interpretation of it?
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Perfect StrangerWould the change of tense in this part of the sentence ...she told me / she has told me affect your interpretation of it?
You're asking if I would interpret 1 and 2 below as saying the same thing, I suppose.

1 I've just talked with Lilly and she told me she had some bad news for me.
2 I've just talked with Lilly and she has told me
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