0
Matthew Wai Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Which tenses should be used?

He told me that he will/would call at my home tomorrow.
I didn't know that he will/would go to Taiwan next week to see his sister.
I didn't know that his sister lives/lived in Taiwan.

Which ones should be used?
I asked the same question on another forum but got no answers.
  

Top answer

A grammatical phenomenon called the sequence of tenses puts English verbs and tenses in two groups, A and B. As a rule of thumb, it's not advisable to move from one group to the other in a that- clause. A present tense present perfect will can may shall B past tense past perfect / pluperfect would could might should ought to He told me that he will/ would call at my home tomorrow.

— Cool Breeze

  • A grammatical phenomenon called the sequence of tenses puts English verbs and tenses in two groups, A and B.
  • As a rule of thumb, it's not advisable to move from one group to the other in a that- clause.
  • A present tense present perfect will can may shall B past tense past perfect / pluperfect would could might should ought to He told me that he will/ would call at my home tomorrow.
  • I did n't know that he will/ would go to Taiwan next week to see his sister.
  • I did n't know that his sister lives /lived in Taiwan.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

4 Answers
0
A grammatical phenomenon called the sequence of tenses puts English verbs and tenses in two groups, A and B. As a rule of thumb, it's not advisable to move from one group to the other in a that-clause.

A
present tense
present perfect
will
can
may
shall

B
past tense
past perfect / pluperfect
would
could
might
sho
0
0
He told me that he will/would call at my home tomorrow.
I didn't know that he will/would go to Taiwan next week to see his sister.
If 'tomorrow' and 'next week' have yet to come, can 'will' be used?
0
0
Matthew WaiIf 'tomorrow' and 'next week' have yet to come, can 'will' be used?
Some might use them. I would not. The sequence of tenses is one of the things that make English a slightly inexact language. There is no Language Academy or a similar authority, which means that there are often many opinions regarding correct usage.

CB
0
0
Matthew WaiIf 'tomorrow' and 'next week' have yet to come, can 'will' be used?
Yes
0

Related Questions