present perfect

[Lenka]

So the sentence: "I have heard that you had never been to Australia before." could be right? If it isnt indirect speech, how can I see what tense to use?

Lenka

[Francois]

Tom: "How long did you stay in Australia?"
Gary: "I actually spent one week in Melbourne, last summer"
Tom: "I have heard that you had never been to Australia before. Did you enjoy it?"

Tom could have said: "I have heard that you had never been to Australia before you went to Melbourne last summer", although it's of course more natural to ask "I've heard it was the first time you went to Australia".

Could a teacher confirm?

FRC

[Tdol]

The sentence is right, with that context.

The rules about changing tense in indirect speech wouldn't have to apply here because the introductory verb is not in the past tense. If you know that the person has vistied Australia,then the past perfect makes sense because you are referring to a time before the visit.

[Lenka]

Can you explain how can I know that I should use past simple in this sentence: „I have heard that you bought new clothes“ ?
Why I cant write: „I have heard that you have bought new clothes“ ?
Lenka

[Francois]

Why I cant write: „I have heard that you have bought new clothes“ ?

Well, I think you can, but you would have to set some kind of context first. Why does the fact that you bought new clothes have a direct bearing on the present? That's what the present perfect would suggest. It seems more natural to refer to this event as something finished, in the past ie. to use the past simple.

FRC

[Lenka]

Thanks to all of you, especially Francois.

Is this right?:
We have just been talking about world.
or?
We were just talking about world.

Lenka

[RonBee]

Is this right?:
We have just been talking about world.
or?
We were just talking about world.

Lenka

Say:

• We have just been talking about the world.

Or:

• We were just talking about the world.

:)

[Francois]

We have just been talking about the world.
or?
We were just talking about the world

Both are correct.

Tom: What have you been doing you guys?
Gary: Well, we've just been talking about the world...
Bob: Yeah, we were talking about the world before you came in.

FRC