Tense Choice in Reporting Flashcards
When the situation reported in Report clause is in the PAST, we use the Past Simple or Continuous.
When the situation reported is already in the past, we use Past Perfect.
If it is clear that one event happened after the other, use Simple Past.
“I don’t want anything to eat”. Yusuf said he didn’t want anything to eat.
“I’m leaving”. Lamar announced she was leaving.
“We have found the missing girl.” The police said they had found the missing girl.
“I’ve sent the invitations well before the wedding”. She assured me she sent the invitations well before the wedding.
When the situation in the reported clause is permanent or still exists, we use Present Simple or Perfect.
When the event in reporting clause is in the PAST, we can use Present or Past to report it. It depends on the event is still true in the present.
If we don’t know if the situation is still true or exists in the present, we prefer the PAST.
Dr. Weir thinks he spends five minutes with the patient.
US scientists claim that they have discovered a new vaccine against malaria.
She argued that John is/was the best person for the job.
They noted that the inflation rate has/had slowed down.
She told me she has two houses. (still true).
She told me she had two houses.
To report something happened in the past, the verb in the reporting clause is always in the PAST.
Reporting NEWS can be used Present in the reporting clause.
We often prefer Present:
For information we don’t know if is true.
what is said about some authority.
To report what many people say.
Just before the wedding, she revealed that she had been married before.
She says that she will have to close the shop.
I hear you are unhappy with your job.
The law says nobody under 18 can drink.
Every teacher I’ve spoken to tells me the spelling is in decline.
