Re: tense in subordinate clause?

Mister Micawber — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:28:11 GMT

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We tend to regress the subordinate verb, though the present is usually possible if the fact or condition still obtains. In your examples, I think these would be OK:

She, knowing all that is going to happen to her, didn't say a word and stayed in the spot.-- It depends of course on whether the things that 'are going to happen' have already happened in the context.

Knowing how old she is, she refused to have a drink.-- Again possible, I suppose, if she is still the same age now, but the point is, how old she was then.

But this one is not, because it seems to me she did not hit the car-- a past established fact:

Knowing she (X) is about to hit another car, she veered off and avoided the crash.

tense in subordinate clause?

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:55:59 GMT

Hi,

Please look at the underlined part, which seems to be part of a subordinate clause, and tell me if the verb "was" can be change to "is" and whether it will make any difference.

She, knowing all that was going to happen to her, didn't say a word and stayed in the spot.

Can the verb 'is' be 'was' without making a difference?

Knowing she is about to hit another car, she veered off and avoid the crash.
Knowing how old she is, she refused to have a drink.

ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: tense in subordinate clause?

tense in subordinate clause?