Future in the past

Формы будущего времени в прошедшем употребляются для выражения будущих действий, о которых говорилось в прошлом, или эти действия представлены как будущие по отношению к прошедшему моменту, а не к настоящему.

Future in the Past употребляется в дополнительных придаточных предложениях, когда глагол в главном предложении стоит в прошедшем времени.

I said I should write a letter to him.

Я сказал, что буду писать ему письмо.

Future in the Past образуется из будущего времени соответствующей заменой вспомогательных глаголов shall/will на should/would.

Времена группы Future in the Past используются в основном при преобразовании прямой речи в косвенную и при соблюдении правила согласования времён (см. Indirect (Reported) Speech и Sequence of Tenses).

Sequence of tenses

В английском сложноподчиненном предложении с придаточным дополнительным соблюдаются правила согласования времен в главном и придаточном предложениях. Эти правила сводятся к следующему:

1. Если глагол-сказуемое главного предложения стоит в настоящем или будущем времени, то глагол-сказуемое придаточного предложения может стоять в любой временной форме, требуемой смыслом, например:

I think you are right.	Полагаю, ты прав.
Do you know why he was absent yesterday?	Ты знаешь, почему его не было вчера?

2. Если глагол-сказуемое главного предложения стоит в прошедшем времени (обычно - в Past Indefinite), то и глагол дополнительного придаточного предложения должен стоять в одном из прошедших времен, в том числе - в будущем с точки зрения прошедшего (Future in the Past), например:

I didn't know he could speak English.	Я не знал, что он говорит по-английски.
I hoped he would come.	Я надеялся, что он придет.

При этом для выражения действия, одновременного с действием, выраженным сказуемым главного предложения, употребляется Past Continuous или Past Indefinite:

He told me he was preparing for his exam.

Он сказал мне, что готовится к экзамену.

Для обозначения действия, предшествующего действию, выраженному сказуемым главного предложения, обычно употребляется Past Perfect. На русский язык глагол-сказуемое в таком случае переводится глаголом в прошедшем времени:

I didn't know he had gone away.

Я не знал, что он ушел.

При указании определенного времени (in 1970, yesterday) предшествующее время выражается при помощи Past Indefinite.

Например:

• I thought you were born in 1970.

Для выражения будущего времени с точки зрения прошедшего времени употребляется форма Future in the Past, которая на русский язык переводится будущим временем:

He told me that he would meet us at the station.

Он сказал, что встретит нас на станции.

Правило согласования времен не соблюдается:

1. если в придаточном дополнительном предложении речь идет об общеизвестном факте:

Galileo proved that the Earth moves round the Sun.

Галилей доказал, что Земля вращается вокруг Солнца.

2. если в состав сказуемого придаточного дополнительного предложения входят модальные глаголы must, should:

I said that you must do it as soon as possible.

Я сказал, что вы должны сделать это как можно скорее.

3. если сказуемое придаточного дополнительного предложения выражено глаголом в сослагательном наклонении:

Reality demanded that the work of special secondary schools be further improved.

Жизнь требовала, чтобы работа средней специальной школы была бы в дальнейшем улучшена.

4. в определительных придаточных предложениях:

Yesterday I met a friend of mine who works as a teacher of English.

Вчера я встретил одного своего друга, который работает учителем английского языка.

5. в предложениях, вводимых словами as, than:

I knew English as well as that young man does.

Я знал английский язык так же хорошо, как знает его этот молодой человек.

6. в придаточных предложениях причины, входящих в состав придаточного дополнительного предложения:

She said that her brother did not forget English as he reads English books regularly.

Она сказала, что ее брат не забывает английский язык, так как он регулярно читает английские книги.

Exercise 1. Change the following sentences into the Past Tense according to the model.

1. Henry reads newspapers every day.

He said he read newspapers every day.

2. Henry is reading a newspaper.

He said he was reading a newspaper.

3. Henry has already read the newspaper.

He said he had read the newspaper.

1.Jack and Jill are on friendly terms.

2.He rings her up every day.

3.She is expecting her friends to come to her place.

4.They are having dinner at the moment.

5.She has suggested going to the pictures after tea.

6.They have seen an exciting film.

Exercise 2. Change the following sentences into the Past Tense according to the model.

1. He says that he works at the office till lunch.

He said that he worked at the office till lunch.

2. He says he worked till lunch.

he said he had worked till lunch.

1.Robert says he gets up early in the morning.

2.He says he did his morning exercises.

3.Alice says she has lunch at 1 p.m..

4.She says she was in a hurry and had only tea for breakfast.

5.William says he is so busy.

6.He says he left office too late.

Exercise 3. Change the following sentences into the Past Tense according to the model.

1. I am sure I shall pass the exam.

I was sure I should pass the exam.

2. He is sure he will enter college.

He was sure he would enter college.

1.We are sure we shall see you soon.

2.He is sure he will get the tickets for the 7 o'clock performance.

3.We hope you will enjoy the film.

4.They expect you will join them on their way to the cinema.

5.She is afraid the child will fall ill after walking in the rain.

6.I hope he will soon recover from his illness.

Exercise 4. Change the following sentences into the Past Tense.

1.He says that he will not allow her to treat people in this way.

2.He does not know what the word means.

3.He sees that I am not afraid of him.

4.Do you know that it is going to rain?

5.It seems to me (that) I have seen him somewhere.

6.I think you can meet us there.

7.I believe the teacher didn't explain that rule.

8.She doesn't know the teacher will explain this rule at the next lesson.

Exercise 5. Translate the following sentences from English into Russian paying attention to the Sequence of Tenses rule.

1.I didn't think that he looked like his father so much.

2.We decided that when winter came, we would ski and skate every Sunday,

3.The students explained to them that they wanted to send a telegram to their teacher.

4.She said she would be waiting for us in the garden until we called them.

5.I was sure that you ought to know our new address.

6.The landlady remembered that my parents had stayed at her house once.

7.We didn't suppose that they could come across each other in this city.

8.Doris said that if I wanted to join her for an excursion I should ring her up.

9.When we met on Friday, Peter told me that he had rung me up the day before.

10.She said she was happy to see me again and didn't blame me for anything.

11.I hoped that he would put up with his position.

12.Yesterday you didn't tell us how well you had spent your holiday.

Exercise 6. Translate the sentences below from Russian into English.

1.Мы не знали, что преподаватель объяснил это правило.

2.Она сказала мне, что знает два иностранных языка.

3.Я не знал, что кто-то ждет вас в этой комнате.

4.Он спросил нас, сколько новых слов мы выучили из нового текста.

5.Он не может сказать по-английски, когда он родился.

6.Он полагал, что вы сделаете доклад на собрании.

7.Я не думал, что вы выступите (будете говорить) на собрании.

8.Наш преподаватель английского языка сказал мне, что я должен обращать больше внимания на (свое) произношение.

9.Он сказал нам, что Иванов сделал большие успехи в учебе.

10.Мне сказали, что на столе нет ни учебников, ни газет.

11.Я не думал, что вам понравится этот фильм. Он не понравился ни мне, ни моей жене.

12.Профессор сказал, что экзамен будет либо во вторник, либо в субботу.

13.Мать надеялась, что сын вернется через неделю.

14.Отец сказал, что наши друзья приедут в субботу.

15.Родители думали, что врач осмотрит ребенка немедленно.

16.Мы надеялись, что вечером сможем пойти в кино.

17.Я не знал, что твои друзья поедут отдыхать без тебя.

18.Отец сказал нам, что мы будем делать в субботу.

19.Мы планировали и надеялись, что поедем в отпуск в конце этой недели.

20.Я думал, что у каждого из нас будет месяц отпуска этим летом.

Exercise 7. Put the verbs in brackets in the appropriate tense-form.

1.They promised that they (to bring) us all the necessary books.

2.He did it better than I (to expect) he would.

3.He said that the tractors (to be) there soon.

4.I think it all happened soon after the meeting (to begin).

5.He said that he (can) not do it without my help.

6.The astronomer told us that the Moon (to be) 240,000 miles from the Earth.

7.He asked the delegates whether they ever (to see) such a demonstration.

8.It was decided that we (to start) our work at four o'clock.

9.I told you that I (to leave) town on the following day.

10.I did not know that you already (to receive) the letter.

11.The boy did not know that water (to boil) at 100 degrees.

12.He wanted to know what (to become) of the books.

13.I was told that the secretary just (to go out) and (to come back) in half an hour.

14.We were afraid that she not (to be able) to finish her work in time and therefore (to offer) to help her.

15.He said we (may) keep the book as long as we (to like).

16.When I called at his house, they (to tell) me that he (to leave) an hour before.

17.It (to be) soon clear to the teacher that the new pupil (to cause) much trouble.

18.I was thinking what a pleasure it (to be) to see my old friend again; I not (to see) him since my school days.

19.I have not yet told them that I (to get) them those books in the nearest future.

Exercise 8. Made the actions in the object clauses simultaneous with those of their principal clauses.

1.I was surprised you (to know) my name.

2.She cannot imagine what he (to do) there.

3.I've forgotten what he (to look) like.

4.I didn't know whether the doctor (to mean) what he (to say) or whether he (to have) a joke at my expense.

5.They'll say you (not to make) the proper use of your information.

6.When he had a chance he would certainly ask her if she (to do) her bit to make the party a success.

7."Hallo,Jack,"Mrs.Holt smiled at him. "My husband has been telling me how much he (to like) you."

8.Quite soon he'll be asking if all the doors (to be) locked for the night.

9.He had told his father that now he (to make) ten dollars a week less.

10.The last two weeks she had been saying to everyone who phoned her that she (to be) unwell and (not to leave) home.

11.It was strange to me that her world (to seem) to contain no conflict.

12.When I knew him better he admitted that he (to feel) lonely in London.

13."I had hoped to take a dip before breakfast, "Mrs. Smith said, "but I found Joseph (to clean) the pool."

14.It was a pity I no longer (to care) in the least about Pat. 15.David,Nellie has been telling me she (not to get) anywhere in her present job.

Exercise 9. Make the actions in the object clauses precede those of their principal clauses.

1.David said that he (to ask) permission from the director to watch the dress rehearsal.

2.I knew that for the past twenty-five years he (to buy) the same paper each morning.

3.Indeed it was whispered that the headmaster (to receive) a telegram from the boy's father.

4.You'll see what I (to write) about you.

5.But he was uneasy. His wife would easily find out why he (to go) to Saigon.

6.It is not known where he (to spend) his early childhood.

7.I don't know what (to go) wrong between them.

8.Then he admitted that he (to live) since the summer in his father's house.

9.Of course he'll wonder why you (to cry).

10.It's a pity you (to miss) that concert.

11.Her mother had once confided to her that she (to want) to be an actress.

12.It was probably true that he (to be) quite fond of his late brother.

13.One day I'll tell you why I never (to marry).

14.I wonder what she (to do) there so late at night.

15."I'm glad you (to come) early," she said again.

16.Have you heard that I (to be) given that job?

17.You know how hard I (to try) to talk them out of it.

Exercise 10. Make the actions in the object clauses follow those of their principal clauses.

1.He decided that he (to go) to Berlin as soon as possible.

2.He had written to her that he (to come) home.

3.I sent them a telegram this morning to say I (to go) to England and that I (to write).

4.I'll ask him what he (to have) for lunch.

5.They wondered if he (to come) back.

6.I'm sorry. I'd quite forgotten you (to stay) here.

7.Before leaving the house in the morning, she had told her mother she (to work) in the hospital that afternoon.

8.I won't mention where he (to be) sent.

9.It is impossible that they (to make) any considerable progress in so short a time.

10.I think you (to stay) in town for a night at least.

11.It was understood that he (to invite) us to lunch on Sunday.