ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: reporting on permanent, on-going, or relevant content

Avangi — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:44:49 GMT

Hi,
These are based strictly on ear and experience.

Anonymous
1. Utterance: I am going to work tomorrow.

(at today's dinner table)
He said he (was??) is going to work tomorrow.  He says/said he is/was going. (all four, except "He says he was . . . ")

2. Utterance: I will go to work tomorrow.

(at today's dinner table)
He said he will/would go to work tomorrow. -- I think both will work.   He says/said he will go.   He said he would go.

3. Utterance: My friend will come here tomorrow.

(at today's dinner table)
He said his friend will (would??) come here tomorrow.(same as 2.) He says/said his friend will come.   He said his friend would come.

Re: reporting on permanent, on-going, or relevant content

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:57:06 GMT

Thank you so much.

How would you report this?

1. Utterance: I am going to work tomorrow.

(at today's dinner table)
He said he (was??) is going to work tomorrow.

2. Utterance: I will go to work tomorrow.

(at today's dinner table)
He said he will/would go to work tomorrow. -- I think both will work.

3. Utterance: My friend will come here tomorrow.

(at today's dinner table)
He said his friend will (would??) come here tomorrow.

Re: reporting on permanent, on-going, or relevant content

Avangi — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:48:40 GMT

Hi,
I'm not sure about the expression, "content that is relevant." I try to make all my content relevant, but sometimes fail.
Often, the status of a condition or situation as to permanance or on-going-ness is common knowledge, or obvious, and sometimes it's not known to the listener or reader (as in the case of your two examples). In my opinion, the writer is free to use whatever tense is appropriate to express his intention, as long as it doesn't present an impossible situation.

I suppose in the case of reported speech, one may ask whether or not the reporter is justified in assuming that a condition is ongoing. The original speaker may no longer have a house in Chicago, and/or may no longer care to play chess. The scenario you describe in 3. is ample justification for using present tense in the that clause.

Personally, I think the reporter should be allowed to judge whether or not a condition is ongoing. If he doesn't know, and if he's reporting in past tense, he should use only past tense in the that clause.

He should also be allowed to report present speech about a past condition: "He says he was living in Chicago at the time of the murder." "He tells me his best event was always the javalin throw."

He should also be allowed to use past tense in reporting a permanent condition. He says/said that to the best of his knowledge, the twin towers are/were still standing. (All four are possible in the right situations.) He says/said he always thought that Texas is/was larger than Alaska. He says/said Texas is larger than Alaska. He said Texas was larger than Alaska. NOT He says Texas was larger than Alaska.

2. utterance: I want - He said he wants to go.
utterance: I will - He said he will/would go.

Best wishes, - A.

reporting on permanent, on-going, or relevant content

Anonymous — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:51:00 GMT

Hi,
1. Would you say if a person is reporting on a content that is permanent, on-going, or relevant in content nature, the reporting word could be both present and past and also, do you feel both present and past tenses are OK in the that-clause?

He said/says his house is/was in Chicago.
He said/says his favorite hobby is/was playing chess.

2. Do you feel all three ar OK? Or just the modal 'would'? I think this deals with intentions and am not sure an intention can be said to be that of on-gong in nature.

His utterance: "I want/will go to the party tomorrow"

He said that he will/would/wants go to that party tommorrow.

3. we are not sure if his house is in Chicago for some reason for a number one exam ple, would you say, what I would call a reporting word should be in present tense?

His utterance: "My house is in Chicago"
He says his house in Chicago at yesterday's party.