Time reference in report structures

7.46 This section explains how to show time reference in report structures.

past tense for both verbs 7.47 When you use a report structure, you are usually reporting something that was said or believed in the past. Both the reporting verb and the verb in the reported clause are therefore usually in a past tense.

She said you threw away her sweets.

Brody asked what happened.

In the Middle Ages, people thought the world was flat.

reporting verb in other tenses 7.48 If you are reporting something that someone says or believes at the time that you are speaking, you use a present tense of the reporting verb.

Experts say that you should be precise in your accounting.

I think it's going to rain.

However, you can also use a present tense of the reporting verb when you are reporting something said in the past, especially if you are reporting something that someone often says or that is still true.

She says she wants to see you this afternoon.

My doctor says it's nothing to worry about.

If you are predicting what people will say or think, you use a future tense of the reporting verb.

No doubt he will claim that his car broke down.

They will think we are making a fuss.

tense of verb in reported clause 7.49 Whatever the tense of your reporting verb, you put the verb in the reported clause into a tense that is appropriate at the time that you are speaking.

If the event or situation described in the reported clause is in the past at the time that you are speaking, you use the simple past tense, the past continuous, or the present perfect: 'She said she enjoyed the course', 'She said she was enjoying the course' or 'She said she has enjoyed the course'. See Chapter 5 for information on when to use these tenses.

Dad explained that he had no money.

She added that she was smoking too much.

He says he has never seen a live shark in his life.

However, when the reporting verb is in a past tense, a past tense is also usually used for the verb in the reported clause even if the reported situation still exists. For example, you could say 'I told him I was eighteen' even if you are still eighteen. You are concentrating on the situation at the past time that you are talking about.

He said he was English.

A present tense is sometimes used instead, to emphasize that the situation still exists.

I told him that I don't drink more than anyone else.

If the event or situation was fn the past at the time that the reported statement was made, or had existed up to that time, you use the past perfect tense: 'She said she had enjoyed the course.'

He knew he had behaved badly.

Mr Benn said that he had been in hospital at the time.

If the event or situation is still going on, you use a present tense if you are using a present tense of the reporting verb: 'She says she's enjoying the course.'

Don't assume I'm a complete fool.

He knows he's being watched.

If the event or situation was in the future at the time of the statement or is still in the future, you use a modal. See paragraphs 7.50 to 7.53, below.

7.50 The basic rules for using modals in reported clauses are as follows.

If the verb in the reporting clause is in a past tense or has 'could' or 'would' as an auxiliary, you usually use 'could', 'might', or 'would' in the reported clause.

If, as is less common, the verb in the reporting clause is in a present tense or has 'can' or 'will' as an auxiliary, you usually use 'can', 'may', or 'would' in the reported clause.

7.51 When you want to report a statement or question about someone's ability to do something, you normally use 'could'.

They believed that war could be avoided.

Nell would not admit that she could not cope.

If you want to report a statement about possibility, you normally use 'might'.

They told me it might flood here.

He said you might need money.

If the possibility is a strong one, you use 'must'.

I told her she must be out of her mind.

When you want to report a statement giving permission or a request for permission, you normally use 'could'. 'Might' is used in more formal English.

I told him he couldn't have it.

Madeleine asked if she might borrow a pen and some paper.

When you want to report a prediction, promise, or expectation, or a question about the future, you normally use 'would'.

She said they would all miss us.

He insisted that reforms would save the system, not destroy it.

7.52 If the reported event or situation still exists or is still in the future, and you are using a present tense of the reporting verb, you use 'can' instead of 'could', 'may' instead of 'might', and 'will' or 'shall' instead of 'would'.

Helen said I can share her flat.

I think some of the sheep may die this year.

I don't believe he will come.

Note that you cannot use 'can have' instead of 'could have', or 'will have' instead of 'would have'. You cannot use 'may have' instead of 'might have' if you are using it like 'could have' to talk about something that did not happen.

You can also use 'can', 'may', 'will', and 'shall' when you are using a past tense of the reporting verb, if you want to emphasize that the situation still exists or is still in the future.

He claimed that a child's early experiences of being separated from his mother may cause psychological distress in later life.

If you are using a present reporting verb and want to indicate that the reported event or situation is hypothetical or very unlikely, you can use the modals 'could', 'might', or 'would'.

I believe that I could live very comfortably here.

7.53 When you want to report a statement about obligation, it is possible to use 'must', but the expression 'had to' (see paragraph 4.248) is more common.

He said he really had to go back inside.

Sita told him that he must be especially kind to the little girl.

You use 'have to', 'has to', or 'must' if the reported situation still exists or is in the future.

When you want to report a statement prohibiting something, you normally use 'mustn't'.

He said they mustn't get us into trouble.

When you want to report a strong recommendation, you can use 'ought to'. You can also use 'should'.

He knew he ought to be helping Harold.

I felt I should consult my family.

7.54 When you want to report a habitual past action or a past situation, you can use the semi-modal 'used to'.

I wish I knew what his favourite dishes used to be.

7.55 The use of modals in reported clauses can be compared with the ordinary use of modals (see paragraphs 4.95 to 4.262). Many of the functions are similar, but some are rarely or never found in reporter clauses.

reporting conditional statements 7.56 When you are reporting a conditional statement, the tenses of the verbs are, in most cases, the same as they would be normally. However, they are different if you are using the simple past tense of a reporting verb, and reporting a conditional statement such as 'If there is no water in the radiator, the engine will overheat'. In this case, you can use the simple past instead of the simple present and 'would' in stead of 'will' in the reported conditional statement: 'She said that if there was no water in the radiator, the engine would overheat'.

For information about conditional statements, see paragraphs 8.25 to 8.42.