Search results for 'tag:Clauses tag:Past tenses' matching tags 'Clauses' and 'Past tenses'

Re: "If I were" in past

Huevos — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:49:16 GMT

nene4english
Both the parts are in past.

nene4english

If the requirements were correct

That "if" clause is not in the past. When you use the simple past tense in the "if" it is still possible that the "if" clause could be fulfilled.

Re: IN SPEECH

Clive — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:31:08 GMT

Hi,
I was listening to some types of speeches and have some questions.

1.When someone says this, does he have to make it known that it is quoted? Not if he doesn't want to. Such 'rules' are not governed by grammar. A teacher, for example, may insist that a student identify every quotation. I think the written version should be in quotation marks because not being in quotation marks doesn't make sense to me.

Next time is later again.<<< This doesn't make any sense to me. What does it mean?

2.Can we have a present perfect after a dependant clause like "After you heard it" in the past tense? It certainly sounds odd in this example. I can't think of another example in which it sounds OK, although I don't like to say an absolute 'No, never'.

After you heard it, you have decided to come back again. Thank you. Nice to see you all here again.

Best wishes, Clive

IN SPEECH

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:17:49 GMT

Hi,

I was listening to some types of speeches and have some questions.

1.When someone says this, does he have to make it known that it is quoted? I think the written version should be in quotation marks because not being in quotation marks doesn't make sense to me.

Next time is later again.

2.Can we have a present perfect after a dependant clause like "After you heard it" in the past tense?

After you heard it, you have decided to come back again. Thank you. Nice to see you all here again.

present in a past-setting narrative

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:36:47 GMT

Hi,

I am having trouble getting a firm grasp of the working of putting present-time clauses in a story or narratve that flows in past tenses -- which meant to tell something that has occurred in the past. I know if something still holds true or if something is a "universal" truth element, then the use of present tenses in midst of all past tenses is fine, I need your help in getting a concrete understanding of application part of it. Can you use some simple examples that might be used in such contexts to show me how it is done?

I went to university in *** and there, I saw this person named John. I have a weakness for an sports star and he was a well-known sports star, known to have won metals in international competitions.

Re: tense problems

Cool Breeze — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:42:18 GMT

In the first sentence the use of a present tense (think) emphasises what your opinion is now. The past tense (thought) refers to the past; your opinion may have changed by now.

"I told her that I am (was?) happy in my job" Both are right. The sequence of tenses would require was but if you are still happy, the present tense is also possible.

"I said to her that I do (did?) not know where Bob had gone to" I would use did in your sentence because of the that clause. If you had a quotation within quotation marks, even do would be correct in some contexts. The last preposition should be omitted.

Using past tense to refer to the future

Viceidol — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:01:32 GMT

Hello, everyone. I saw a sentence in my grammar book:

It will be a great thing for future generations to know that I laid down my life here (I think it means "die in the battlefield") for the country.

What confuses me is: the main clause uses future tense, but in the "that-clause", "I laid down my life here" is a past tense. Since he is not dead while he speaks, why can it use past tense here?

Although the book says "we can use past tense to refer to something that may happen in the future", I've never seen this kind of grammar before. Could you tell me if that Is ture? Thank you for your help!

Re: must in past

CalifJim — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:21:25 GMT

Anonymous
Could the word 'must' used in past-time situations only for reported speech cases or just about any situations?

It's probably most used in the reported speech situation or in other subordinate clauses. It's hard to find a main clause where must has a past tense meaning. had to is used instead when the meaning is have to. must have is used when the meaning is the only logical conclusion is....

_______________

must as have to:

I must go. = I have to go.

The past is I had to go.

Present: George must find a way to solve the problem. Or: George has to find a way to solve the problem.

Past: George had to find a way to solve the problem. Not: George must find a way to solve the problem.

Present: You must learn the irregular verbs of English. Or: You have to learn the irregular verbs of English.

Past: You had to learn the irregular verbs of English. Not: You must learn the irregular verbs of English.

Present: Employees must wash their hands frequently. Or: Employees have to wash their hands frequently.

Past: Employees had to wash their hands frequently. Not: Employees must wash their hands frequently.

_______________

must as The only logical conclusion is

Mary has ten cats.

Mary must like cats. = The only logical conclusion is that Mary likes cats.

The past means The only logical conclusion is that Mary liked cats. And for that meaning you have to change must like to must have liked, thus:

Mary had ten cats. She must have liked cats.

____

Here are a few more for you to study.

It looks like Lucy is going to leave that package behind. It must be too heavy to carry. (We conclude that it is too heavy.)

Lucy left that big package behind. It must have been too heavy to carry. (We conclude that it was too heavy.)

___

The puppy is begging for food. He must be hungry. (We conclude that he is hungry.)

The puppy was begging for food. He must have been hungry. (We conclude that he was hungry.)

___

Mr. Johnson buys his wife expensive presents. He must love her very much. (We conclude that he loves her.)

Mr. Johnson used to buy his wife expensive presents. He must have loved her very much. (We conclude that he loved her.)

___

Be careful when the main verb is have. must have is the present, and must have had the past.

Aunt Polly always sees when Huck steals a biscuit. She must have eyes in the back of her head!

Aunt Polly saw Huck steal a biscuit. She must have had eyes in the back of her head!

conditional and one more

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:25:03 GMT

Hi,

1. Is this conditional? No. 2 Conditional, perhaps? What troubles me is I think I saw all these variations in the if--clause. Is this possible?

I would appreciate it if you can call/would calll/could call/call this person as soon as possible.

2. Is this structure possible?

It's a little bit of maze.

I gather 'maze' is a noun and functions as a noun here.

3. I think you can say. "I find you sincere." By that, I assume the person meant to say "I think you are sincere."
Can it work for the past tense version? Which one is good?

I found you sincere yesterday. Or, I found you to be sincere yesterday.

Re: tense dilemma

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:31:35 GMT

Can someone explain these to me these please.

Can you tell me how this works?

1)It was hard. It was during a tough time I was dropped (dropped -- better?) out of college due to the pressure. I may have been too young. 1) We had moved our house. It was difficult. 2) I had married by then, and I was pregnant. I married a guy I knew for some time. He was funny. He worked for two years and changed the job.

By the time, no. 2 came about, I lost trek. I think I went back one with no. 1's past perfect, then stayed there with no. 2 with its past perfect and the words 'by then'. Then where did I come out with the sentences after no. 2? The same past like before no. 1 and 2 or doesn't matter? past is past, a story goes on??

2)He remarked that it must have seemed as if her promise would fail, or that her words came from a need, not from her heart.
Does this 'would fail' contain a sense of past conditional?

I think Mr. M said that 'would fail' is no.2 conditional; then again, I heard someone else say in this forum that a person should not use 'would' in the if-clause (I would consider 'if' and 'as if' to be synonomous). Did Mr. M say that 'would fail' in the if-clause is in the present and the whole sentence is no. 2 conditional? I thought a no. 2 conditional had a past tense in the if-clause?

Quick Reply

The question about "in case" and tense

Viceidol — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:51:07 GMT

Hello, everyone. I learned from my grammar book that we often use present tense to refer to future in "in case-clause". Like:

I always take an umbrella in case it rains.

I've bought a chicken in case your mother stays to lunch.

In those cases, I found that all the verbs in main clauses are tenses refer to "present". But what if they are "past tense"? I saw several examples in my grammar books:

1. I wrote down her address in case I should forget it. (What change should I make with the "forget" if I don't use "should" in this example?)

2. We took our swimming suits in case we should find a pool. (What change should I make with the "find" if I don't use "should" in this example?)

3. He left early in case he should miss the last train. (What change should I make with the "miss" if I don't use "should" in this example?)

4. In case the wall should collapse, they evacuated the building. (What change should I make with the "evacuate" if I don't use "should" in this example?)

I think, for those cases, we should use "past tense" in those cases even though the main clause has a past verb. Because I saw this sentences in another book:

5. Doctors and nerses remained above ground while police patrolled the streets in case anyone tried to leave the shelters too soon.(I think the "tried" can be replaced by "should try", am I right?)

Please tell me if I can use present tense in those occations. Thank you very much.