Phxsunstoon Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
verb tense
Hello everyone,
I am currently reading Palmer's The English Verb. I have a question that I hope someone can help me out with.
3.2.3 Reported Speech
John said "I like chocolate."
John said he liked chocolate.
It is a normal rule in English with indirect speech, that if the verb of reporting is in the past tense, any present tense form in the original utterance will be reported in the past tense...Yet this rule is not automatic since it is possible in such circumstances to retain the original, preset tense, form, not to change to the past:
John said he likes chocolate.
John said he's reading "Vanity Fair."
...This depends on whether the statement being reported is still true for him. If it is, he may (but not required to) retain the present tense. Thus...the present tense would imply that the speaker believes that John still likes chocolate...
My question is since "the present tense would imply that the speaker believes that John still likes chocolate," does that mean when the speaker states "John said he liked chocolate" it imply that the speaker does not believe that John still likes chocolate?
I am currently reading Palmer's The English Verb. I have a question that I hope someone can help me out with.
3.2.3 Reported Speech
John said "I like chocolate."
John said he liked chocolate.
It is a normal rule in English with indirect speech, that if the verb of reporting is in the past tense, any present tense form in the original utterance will be reported in the past tense...Yet this rule is not automatic since it is possible in such circumstances to retain the original, preset tense, form, not to change to the past:
John said he likes chocolate.
John said he's reading "Vanity Fair."
...This depends on whether the statement being reported is still true for him. If it is, he may (but not required to) retain the present tense. Thus...the present tense would imply that the speaker believes that John still likes chocolate...
My question is since "the present tense would imply that the speaker believes that John still likes chocolate," does that mean when the speaker states "John said he liked chocolate" it imply that the speaker does not believe that John still likes chocolate?
Top answer
My question is since "the present tense would imply that the speaker believes that John still likes chocolate," does that mean when the speaker states "John said he liked chocolate" it imply that the speaker does not believe that John still likes chocolate? A native speaker would not draw that implication. Very often, the context will show whether he still likes it.
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My question is since "the present tense would imply that the speaker believes that John still likes chocolate," does that mean when the speaker states "John said he liked chocolate" it imply that the speaker does not believe that John still likes chocolate? A native speaker would not draw that implication.
Very ofte
Very ofte
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