Tenses

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Newguest

#572185 Wed, 01 Oct 08 12:08 PM

A press release issude today says that security issues were/had been/have been one of the chief topics of the talks.

--- I suppose that "were" and "had been" are correct?

If I start the sentence: The spokesman informed that .. will anything change as far as the tenses are concerned?

Thanks

Newguest

Joined on Sun, Feb 25 2007

Contributing Member (1,229)

Tenses

Mister Micawber

#572199 Wed, 01 Oct 08 01:03 PM

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And what about 'says'?

I suggest:

(A press release issued today said that / The spokesman informed the press that) security issues were/had been one of the chief topics of the talks.

Mister Micawber

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (22,710)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

Newguest

#572210 Wed, 01 Oct 08 01:24 PM

OK, so I should use "said" and then either "were" or "had been". Actually I understand the usage of the past perfect (because it happened before) and I'm not sure why "were" is also correct?

And if we left "says," i.e., A press release issued today says that security issues .. (and now the second part should be in the past)

I'm quoting this example because in one of my books on business English the example starts precisely: A press release issued today SAYS .. (and then I'm supposed to write the second part of the sentence in the past tense)

Newguest

Tenses, Past Perfect, Past Tenses, Business English

Mister Micawber

#572216 Wed, 01 Oct 08 01:36 PM

.
Were is also correct because there is no real confusion about the order of the past events. Says is common journalistic (historical present) narrative, but I don't like it here because it is inserted between two past tenses-- very sloppy. I suppose that if you keep it, you could use present perfect-- or present-- besides past:

A press release issued today says that security issues were/are/have been one of the chief topics of the talks.

It all depends on whether the talks were finished at the time.