M
munchun2004
Guest
1) I often face the situation where I have to choose between past tense or present tense word to relay what I say. For example:
Child: Dad, since now is summer, can we go to buy ourselves some ice-cream?
Dad: Go ask your mom. If she says you can go, then you go.
(later)
Dad: What did your mom say?
Child: She says(or said?) we can go. And she says(or said?) we can buy each one of us an ice-cream too.
Dad: Did your mom say that?
Child: Yeah, she said(or say?) that?
If the situation is current, is that OK to interchange the word ‘say’ and ‘said’ when we relate back what was said?
2) Are the following sentences all correct?
a) What is the place you said you are going to go tonight?
b) What is the place you said you were going to go tonight?
c) What was the place you said you are going to go tonight?
d) What was the place you said you were going to go tonight?
e) What is the place you say you are going to go tonight?
I think sentence c is not correct. For sentence a, I think there is a possibility it might be correct since it’s stated that mixed tenses can be use for current related situation. From all the choices, I would choose d, b, e, a when I talk to other people. Could you list out your choice and tell me why you list like that?
Child: Dad, since now is summer, can we go to buy ourselves some ice-cream?
Dad: Go ask your mom. If she says you can go, then you go.
(later)
Dad: What did your mom say?
Child: She says(or said?) we can go. And she says(or said?) we can buy each one of us an ice-cream too.
Dad: Did your mom say that?
Child: Yeah, she said(or say?) that?
If the situation is current, is that OK to interchange the word ‘say’ and ‘said’ when we relate back what was said?
2) Are the following sentences all correct?
a) What is the place you said you are going to go tonight?
b) What is the place you said you were going to go tonight?
c) What was the place you said you are going to go tonight?
d) What was the place you said you were going to go tonight?
e) What is the place you say you are going to go tonight?
I think sentence c is not correct. For sentence a, I think there is a possibility it might be correct since it’s stated that mixed tenses can be use for current related situation. From all the choices, I would choose d, b, e, a when I talk to other people. Could you list out your choice and tell me why you list like that?
