ostap77
Key Member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Ukrainian
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- Ukraine
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- Ukraine
I'd very much like to get as many comments as I could.
Here's an extract from a grammar book. Andrea DeCapua "A Guide to American English for native and non-native speakers."
"Do native speakers always observe this formal sequencing of tenses?
Most native speakers will observe this rule for changing present tense in direct
speech to past tense in reported speech; however, many speakers will not observe
this rule for changing past tense to the past perfect and will use past tense only,
particularly in spoken and informal written English.
Moreover, native speakers will not always follow this sequencing of tenses for
actions, events, or facts that are still current and/or true."
So according to this the following sentences would be acceptable in conversation and informal writing.
1)She says,"They went to the movies."
"She said (that) they went to the movies."
2)"She says,"I was having a ride on a train for half an hour when it started to slow down."
"She said (that) she was having a ride on a train for half an hour when it started to slow down."
There would be no need to change the past progressive to the past perfect progressive and the past simple to the past perfect.?
3)"She said she is coming to a party tomorrow."
4)"He said he has been playing hockey since he was 5 years old."
What about future tense? Would it be optional if someting will still happen in the future?
Here's an extract from a grammar book. Andrea DeCapua "A Guide to American English for native and non-native speakers."
"Do native speakers always observe this formal sequencing of tenses?
Most native speakers will observe this rule for changing present tense in direct
speech to past tense in reported speech; however, many speakers will not observe
this rule for changing past tense to the past perfect and will use past tense only,
particularly in spoken and informal written English.
Moreover, native speakers will not always follow this sequencing of tenses for
actions, events, or facts that are still current and/or true."
So according to this the following sentences would be acceptable in conversation and informal writing.
1)She says,"They went to the movies."
"She said (that) they went to the movies."
2)"She says,"I was having a ride on a train for half an hour when it started to slow down."
"She said (that) she was having a ride on a train for half an hour when it started to slow down."
There would be no need to change the past progressive to the past perfect progressive and the past simple to the past perfect.?
3)"She said she is coming to a party tomorrow."
4)"He said he has been playing hockey since he was 5 years old."
What about future tense? Would it be optional if someting will still happen in the future?
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