Agreement of tenses
Present: |
I |
know think feel believe doubt am aware agree mean realize assume suppose hope |
(that) the figures |
are were will be |
accurate. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Past: |
I |
knew thought felt, etc. |
(that) the figures |
were had been would be |
accurate. |
Exercise 10. Complete the following sentences:
Example: “The meeting will begin on time.”
We all hoped the meeting would begin on time.
The secretary is on vacation this week.
I knew ______ .
The company will increase salaries this year.
The employees doubted ______ .
“Tom was in Paris last year.”
We weren’t aware that ______ .
“Our inventory has been running low this month.”
I didn’t realize ______ .
“We’ll have to stay home tomorrow.”
The bad weather meant ______ .
Reported speech: agreement of tenses
“Knowles explained that they would first feed all the data on each sales transaction into the computer
“
I’m
tired
today,”
said Bill.
Bill said he was tired that day.
Direct Reported
He said: |
|
He said (that) |
“I was tired” “I have been tired” “I had been tired” “I will be tired” |
|
he was tired. he had been tired. he had been tired. he had been tired. he would be tired. |
“I
am tired”
Time Expressions
Direct Reported
now today tonight
this morning two years ago last year yesterday the day before yesterday
tomorrow next week the day after tomorrow a month from now |
|
then that day that night
that morning two years before (earlier) the year before (the previous year) the day before (the previous day) two days before (earlier)
the following (next) day the following week two days later a month later |
Exercise 11. Compete the following sentences.
Example: “The director is busy now.”
The secretary said that the director was busy then.
“We’re negotiating a contract.”
The labour leader said they ______ .
“I can’t come tonight.”
John informed us he ______ .
“We have to make a decision soon.”
They said they ______ .
“The new line will be introduced next spring.”
The marketing director announced the new line ______ .
“We received the payment three days ago.”
The company wrote that they ______ .
“The President arrived at the airport yesterday.”
The newspapers reported the President ______ .
“Tickets are available at the box office.”
The ad said that tickets ______ .
“I won’t arrive until the day after tomorrow.”
Don explained he ______ .
“The manager hasn’t called since the day before yesterday.”
The secretary told us the manager ______ .
“The meeting will be held next Monday.”
The director mentioned that the meeting ______ .
“Inventory has been running low this month.”
The manager complained that inventory ______ .
“The delay in payment won’t affect your credit rating.”
The loan officer informed me that ______ .