tailieunhanh - Oxford guide to english grammar part 52

A useful feature of the book is the inclusion of example texts and conversations, many of them authentic, to show how grammar is used in connected writing and in speech. | PAGE 351 268 Tenses in indirect speech 268 Tenses in indirect speech 1 Verbs of reporting a A verb of reporting can be in a present tense. Theforecastsays it s going to rain. Karen tells me she knows the way. I ve heard they might close this place down. Here the present tense suggests that the words were spoken only a short time ago and are still relevant. For written words 64 2f . After a present-tense verb of reporting we do not change the tense in indirect speech. I m hungry. Robert says he s hungry. NOTE After a present-tense verb of reporting the past tense means past time. The singer says he took drugs when he was younger. b When we see the statement as in the past the verb of reporting is in a past tense. Robert said he s hungry. Karen told me yesterday that she knows the way. We can use the past even if the words were spoken only a moment ago. 2 The meaning of the tense change When the verb of reporting is in a past tense we sometimes change the tense in indirect speech from present to past. a If the statement is still relevant we do not usually change the tense although we can do. 7 know the way. Karen told me she knows knew the way so there s no need to take a map. I m hungry. Robert said he s he was hungry so we re going to eat. b We can change the tense when it is uncertain if the statement is true. Compare these examples. We d better not go out. Theforecast said it s going to rain. I hope it doesn t rain. It might. Theforecast said it was going to rain. The present tense is makes the rain sound more likely. We are more interested in the fact of the rain than in the forecast. The past tense was makes the rain less real. We are expressing the idea that it is a forecast not a fact. c We use the past tense when we are reporting objectively when we do not want to suggest that the information is necessarily true. I m not interested in money. Tom told me he wasn t interested in money. Our policies will be goodfor The party said its policies would be goodfor .