Knew, realized + the past/present
please consider the following:
1. I knew the building (IS/WAS) thirty feet tall.
2. They realized I (AM/WAS) his son.
My question: both those clauses contain general truths. So, do I need to use the present, or the past?
tenses past-tense present-tense sequence-of-tenses agreement
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
add a comment |
please consider the following:
1. I knew the building (IS/WAS) thirty feet tall.
2. They realized I (AM/WAS) his son.
My question: both those clauses contain general truths. So, do I need to use the present, or the past?
tenses past-tense present-tense sequence-of-tenses agreement
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
add a comment |
please consider the following:
1. I knew the building (IS/WAS) thirty feet tall.
2. They realized I (AM/WAS) his son.
My question: both those clauses contain general truths. So, do I need to use the present, or the past?
tenses past-tense present-tense sequence-of-tenses agreement
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
please consider the following:
1. I knew the building (IS/WAS) thirty feet tall.
2. They realized I (AM/WAS) his son.
My question: both those clauses contain general truths. So, do I need to use the present, or the past?
tenses past-tense present-tense sequence-of-tenses agreement
tenses past-tense present-tense sequence-of-tenses agreement
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
asked 21 hours ago
Fadli SheikhFadli Sheikh
63
63
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
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In the first example the verbs should be in the past. You knew at that time.
The second example is a kind of reported speech. You are reporting what they realized at the time. In reported speech, what is being reported gets backshifted. However, for simple sentences like this, English speakers will often use both verbs, so it is possible to say "They realized I am his son," because the speaker is emphasizing a current fact, or one can say "They realized I was his son," because they are reporting. I cannot prove this, but the backshifting is probably unconscious. In recently teaching this subject, I found myself advocating the present tense use (I am his son,) but then caught myself using the "reported speech" grammar at a restaurant. I don't remember the example, but I do remember thinking I needed to adjust my teaching for both possibilities as correct.
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
In the first example the verbs should be in the past. You knew at that time.
The second example is a kind of reported speech. You are reporting what they realized at the time. In reported speech, what is being reported gets backshifted. However, for simple sentences like this, English speakers will often use both verbs, so it is possible to say "They realized I am his son," because the speaker is emphasizing a current fact, or one can say "They realized I was his son," because they are reporting. I cannot prove this, but the backshifting is probably unconscious. In recently teaching this subject, I found myself advocating the present tense use (I am his son,) but then caught myself using the "reported speech" grammar at a restaurant. I don't remember the example, but I do remember thinking I needed to adjust my teaching for both possibilities as correct.
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
add a comment |
In the first example the verbs should be in the past. You knew at that time.
The second example is a kind of reported speech. You are reporting what they realized at the time. In reported speech, what is being reported gets backshifted. However, for simple sentences like this, English speakers will often use both verbs, so it is possible to say "They realized I am his son," because the speaker is emphasizing a current fact, or one can say "They realized I was his son," because they are reporting. I cannot prove this, but the backshifting is probably unconscious. In recently teaching this subject, I found myself advocating the present tense use (I am his son,) but then caught myself using the "reported speech" grammar at a restaurant. I don't remember the example, but I do remember thinking I needed to adjust my teaching for both possibilities as correct.
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
add a comment |
In the first example the verbs should be in the past. You knew at that time.
The second example is a kind of reported speech. You are reporting what they realized at the time. In reported speech, what is being reported gets backshifted. However, for simple sentences like this, English speakers will often use both verbs, so it is possible to say "They realized I am his son," because the speaker is emphasizing a current fact, or one can say "They realized I was his son," because they are reporting. I cannot prove this, but the backshifting is probably unconscious. In recently teaching this subject, I found myself advocating the present tense use (I am his son,) but then caught myself using the "reported speech" grammar at a restaurant. I don't remember the example, but I do remember thinking I needed to adjust my teaching for both possibilities as correct.
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
In the first example the verbs should be in the past. You knew at that time.
The second example is a kind of reported speech. You are reporting what they realized at the time. In reported speech, what is being reported gets backshifted. However, for simple sentences like this, English speakers will often use both verbs, so it is possible to say "They realized I am his son," because the speaker is emphasizing a current fact, or one can say "They realized I was his son," because they are reporting. I cannot prove this, but the backshifting is probably unconscious. In recently teaching this subject, I found myself advocating the present tense use (I am his son,) but then caught myself using the "reported speech" grammar at a restaurant. I don't remember the example, but I do remember thinking I needed to adjust my teaching for both possibilities as correct.
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
answered 19 hours ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,76642147
5,76642147
add a comment |
add a comment |
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