Sequence of Tenses, Use of Tenses with Principal Clauses in the Past Tense.

BASIC ENGLISH 50: SEQUENCE OF TENSES
When you use a complex sentence, you have at least two verbs – it is obvious, the main verb is in the Principal Clause and the second one in the Subordinate Clause. If the sentence happens to be in the Indirect Speech format or a similar context, you have to decide carefully if the verbs will be conjugated in one tense form, or two different forms. The English language has very well defined guidelines in this matter. This comes within the definition of the Sequence of Tenses.

If the main verb is in the Present and the Future Tense, there is no problem. But if it is the Past Tense in the main clause, the other verb or verbs in the Subordinate Clause must be changed into the corresponding PastTense. In other words, if the main Verb of a Sentence is in the Past Tense, then other verbs must also express the past contexts. This is known as back-shifting (i.e. one step backwards in time). Remember, in complex sentences it is the principal verb that regulates the subordinate verbs and in Compound sentences, the context and the common sense logic determine the tense.

1. When the verb in the Principal Clause/Reporting verb is in Present or Future tense, the Dependent Clause/Reported Speech may be in any tense.

Present Tense
The doctor says –
(a) She loves medicines.
(b) She loved medicines.
(c) She will love medicines.

Future Tense
The doctor will say
(a) The patient is fine.
(b) The patient was fine.
(c) The patient will be fine.

2. If you find the Principal Clause in the Past Tense, the verb in the Dependent Clause will be in the matching past tense. Shifting back …

The doctor said, (a) “The patient does well.” (b) “The patient did well.” (c) “The patient will do well.”

(a)The patient did well.
(b) The patient had done well.
(c) The patient would do well.

Exception – when it is a universal truth or habitual action.
a. He said that the Sun rises in the east.
b. He said that he takes a cup of tea every morning.

When it is a question of a comparison or the Subordinate Clause has the force of an Adjective, there are no restrictions – any Tense can be made in the Subordinate Clause.

(a) John does it better than I can/could/will do
(b) John did it better than I can/could/will do.
(c) John will do it better than I can/could/will do.

(a) I hate the culprit who does this mischief.
(b) I hated the culprit who did this mischief.
(c) I shall hate the culprit who will do the mischief.

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