Past tense or present tense

[Winwin2011]

Tom called me yesterday and said his wife wanted to by a car.

Then I want to send an email to my friend who is a car agent. I will say:

1. My friend called me yesterday. He said his wife wanted to by a car.

2. My friend called me yesterday. He said his wife wants to buy a car.


Are the above sentences both correct.

 

[bhaisahab]

Tom called me yesterday and said his wife wanted to buy a car.

Then I want to send an email to my friend who is a car agent. I will say:

1. My friend called me yesterday. He said his wife wanted to buy a car.

2. My friend called me yesterday. He said his wife wants to buy a car.


Are the above sentences both correct.

They are now.

 

[Tarheel]

Three things.

1. I doubt that your friend used past tense when he said his wife wants to buy a car, so why should you do so?

2. We call them car salesmen, not car agents. (AmE)

3. Say:

Are the sentences correct?

 

[Roman55]

1. I doubt that your friend used past tense when he said his wife wants to buy a car, so why should you do so?

Because it's quite common in reported speech.

 

[Tarheel]

Because it's quite common in reported speech.

True.

 

[Matthew Wai]

The following explanation might be helpful to the OP.

'3. Optional Backshifting

When the verb of speech introducing the indirect speech is in a past tense (simple, progressive or perfect), and the situation reported is still true at the moment of speaking, we can, but do not have to, backshift.'── quoted from http://usingenglish.com/articles/indirect-reported-speech.html

2. We call them car salesmen, not car agents. (AmE)

When I used 'salesman', SoothingDave told me that it was a 'car dealer' in AmE in this post http://usingenglish.com/forum/threa...of-a-picture?p=1176064&viewfull=1#post1176064
Are they called differently in the US?

 

[GoesStation]

When I used 'salesman', SoothingDave told me that it was a 'car dealer' in AmE in this post http://usingenglish.com/forum/threa...of-a-picture?p=1176064&viewfull=1#post1176064
Are they called differently in the US?

The place where you go to buy a car is a car dealer, not a car shop. The person who handles the sale is a car salesman.