Thank you for your advice, mates.
In a handbook for advanced students of English, it is told that "the present tense is used in the introductory verbs of quotations, as with other comments on literature. But you would probably use the past tense if you were quoting statesman or other historical figure, for example,
As Napoleon said, or is reputed to have said..."
My question is : Is it that if the author of quotations has been dead, we should use the past tense; otherwise, we should use the present tense in the introductory verbs?
The handbook also says that:
"However, either present or past may be used in the case of political ideas expressed in writing, for example, As Marx says/said, ...."
My next question is : Why is it that either the present or past can be used here?
In the following link, it is also said that the present tense should be used in the introductory verbs of quotations:
Margu\SSW2
My final question is : Then, under what situations that the past tense should be used?
Thanks for helping.
