The Sequence of Tenses

I'm not sure but I once heard that the sequence of tenses can be ignored, I mean you don't have to go one tense back, if facts presented in the sentence are still true:


"She asked,if he knew that they had lived for three years in Kyiv and had been living in Amsterdam for two years now"

OR

"She asked,If he knows that they had lived for three years in Kyiv and have been livig in Amsterdam for two years now"

In this sentence " he knows" and have been living" both refer to the present time. Shouldn't I change "had lived" to "have lived"? Is "had lived" still possible?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ostap77

I'm not sure but I once heard that the sequence of tenses can be ignored, I mean you don't have to go one tense back, if facts presented in the sentence are still true:


"She asked,if he knew that they had lived for three years in Kyiv and had been living in Amsterdam for two years now"

OR

"She asked,If he knows that they had lived for three years in Kyiv and have been livig in Amsterdam for two years now"

In this sentence " he knows" and have been living" both refer to the present time. Shouldn't I change "had lived" to "have lived"? Is "had lived" still possible?

---

Only the first sentence is correct.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bhaisahab

Only the first sentence is correct.

---

Any comments from the Americans?

Is this what you mean?

She asked if he knew that

they had (previously) lived for three years in Kyiv and

have been living (currently) in Amsterdam for two years now"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by susiedqq

Is this what you mean?

She asked if he knew that

they had (previously) lived for three years in Kyiv and

have been living (currently) in Amsterdam for two years now"

---

Yes that's what I was trying to say at the very begining. As I've already said I heard once that if some actions refer to the present time the one tense back rule can be ignored.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ostap77

to go one tense back,

---

A little help ;

going one tense back = backshifting

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by euncu

A little help ;

going one tense back = backshifting

---

Wating for your reply susiedqq. Other teachers are welome to answer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ostap77

Wating for your reply susiedqq. Other teachers are welome to answer.

---

Could you please give me an answer to the one tense back rule and the example given above&:-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ostap77

Could you please give me an answer to the one tense back rule and the example given above&:-)

---

Some more info on the tense thing?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ostap77

Some more info on the tense thing?

---

Any info?