Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 03-May-2007, 11:05
playagain's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Country: Philippines
Posts: 134
Current Location: Philippines
First Language: Tagalog
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
playagain is on a distinguished road
Exclamation said/says

Which one is correct?

1. She said that, we must go there.
2. She says that, we must go there.

And also take a look on my punctuation marks. Thanks
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 03-May-2007, 11:22
BobK's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Country: England (South East)
Posts: 6,038
Current Location: England (South East)
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 91
Thanked 1,026 Times in 906 Posts
BobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud of
Default Re: said/says

Quote:
Originally Posted by playagain View Post
Which one is correct?

1. She said that we must go there.
2. She says that we must go there.

And also take a look on my punctuation marks. Thanks
Either, in the appropriate context, but without the commas.

1 is ambiguous. There is an old(ish) use of "must" as a simple past; in this case, it would be more common to say 'She said that we had to/were obliged to go there,' though some native speakers (usually the ones with less hair ) would still use 'must'. The other meaning of 1 is that she said (at some time in the past) that (at any possible opportunity in the future) we should go: 'If you ever go to London, you must visit the Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green'.

b
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 03-May-2007, 12:21
playagain's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Country: Philippines
Posts: 134
Current Location: Philippines
First Language: Tagalog
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
playagain is on a distinguished road
Default Re: said/says

Thanks but I can't get why # 1 is ambiguous
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 03-May-2007, 13:30
BobK's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Country: England (South East)
Posts: 6,038
Current Location: England (South East)
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 91
Thanked 1,026 Times in 906 Posts
BobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud of
Default Re: said/says

The two meanings:

1 - simple past: you must = you had to (this usage is dying out; best ignored for ESOL purposes )
2 - present statement about future advisability (not obligation)
(these are the two meanings I discussed in my last post; there's another -
2a - present command about [near-]future obligation )

b
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
said, says

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 10:48.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com