English Language Learners Stack Exchange
English Language Learners Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [backshifting]

This tag is for the changing of a present tense to a past tense following a past form of a reporting verb (backshifting)

Common examples of backshifting are:

  • Present Tense changing to Past Tense
  • Simple Past Tense changing to Past Perfect Tense

Example One

Present Tense - Direct/Quoted Speech:

  • Mommy said, "I am buying you a new pair of shoes."

Present Tense Backshifted to Past - Indirect/Relayed Speech:

  • Mommy said she was buying me a new pair of shoes.

Notice the present tense Am Buying in Direct Speech changes to the past tense Was buying in the Indirect.

Example Two

Simple Past - Direct/Quotes Speech:

  • "I was not expecting to see you so soon," she said.

Simple Past to Past Perfect - Indirect/Relayed Speech:

  • She said that she had not been expecting to see me so soon.

Notice the simple past "Was not" in the Direct Speech backshifts to the past perfect "Had not been" in the Indirect.

Backshifting also occurs with Modal Verbs: "Can, May, Will" backshift to "Could, Might, Would".

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"He works/worked hard so that he will be promoted."

my sentence: (1) He works hard so that he will be promoted. Am I right that (1) has two meanings?: (1a) He works hard in order that he will be promoted. (1b) He works hard with the result that he will be promoted. I backshift (1) but don't replace…
Loviii
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Question about backshifting in reported speech

What option is right? He said he had been there when I was there. He said he had been there when I had been there. Should the when-clause be in the past perfect if the main one is in the past perfect to emphasize simultaneity? What rule can…
Petro Probka
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What is the rule of tense backshifting in a subordinate clause following a past form modal verb?

In the following example, the verb in the subordinate clause following "would know" is backshifted: CIRCUS Manager:“All you have to do is look the lion in the eye and show him you're not afraid.” Assistant: “Yes, but the lion would know I was just…
Aki
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Backshifting in Reported Speech

The exec was making a presentation to the company board."Computers have allowed us to cut costs," he explained. "We expect even more dramatic improvements as computers become increasingly self-sufficient." I don't use backshifting because…
Felicity
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Is past tense "existed" obligatory in "You could show that the amino acid now existed as a negative ion using electrophoresis."

From Chemguide: Adding an alkali to an amino acid solution: If you increase the pH of a solution of an amino acid by adding hydroxide ions, the hydrogen ion is removed from the -NH3+ group. You could show that the amino acid now existed as a…
CowperKettle
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The curious case of backshifting

I've always found backshifting to be one of the most challenging parts of English grammar. My current issue involves using it in questions and negations. Recently, I got into a conversation about Russia with a guy, who clearly lacked knowledge on…
Bebop B.
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Backshifting: past simple to past perfect

Whenever I happen to report a sentence that's originally in the present perfect, I switch tenses accordingly, transforming it into the past perfect. My problem though focuses on the backshifting occuring in utterances that utilize the simple past. I…
Bebop B.
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"Could you tell me where she works?" vs "Could you tell me where she worked?"

I was wondering which is correct: "Could you tell me where she worked?" or, "Could you tell me where she works?" I am asking a question in the sense that I'd like to know where she is working now (currently). I've thought that if a sentence…
Yelena Beriyeva
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backshifting past simple in that clauses

Let' say someone tells you the following about another person called George: George was a good guy. If this person means that George was a good guy but he no longer is, do I have to backshift the sentence when making it into indirect speech?: …
Tapani Hirvi
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incorrect time in the sentence?

This sentence is from some game manual: For example, if a player started a battle with a “XYZ” Order and then attempts diplomacy with the card bonus, he must retreat if he draws a "HJK" Is that sentence correct?? Or should it be: For example, if…
Bolo
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the backshifting in one sentence

Wisconsin has dissected Zellner's court filing to determine evidence that was overlooked at the time Avery was convicted of killing Halbach. Zellner contends that the new battery of tests can be done within the next three months, if not sooner. She…
bart-leby
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Rules of backshift: will there be backshift or not here?

I would like to explain the situation where I didn't notice my brother when he came home, and therefore didn't know when he got home. I thought I should say like this: I didn't know when my brother had come home. But I found another rule that if…
Nigutumok
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Backshifting in Verb Tenses

Backshifting of tenses: We have discussed the deictic shifting of adverbial and PrepP time expressions in S,E,R terms. Can the same now be applied to the backshifting of verb tenses, too? Evidently, people prefer to shift as follows when speaking…
Chelsea Iasello
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Why 'can', not 'could' in "She told us that we can use the kitchen."?

Why 'can', not 'could' in "She told us that we can use the kitchen."? I thought that since the main verb is 'told' that the following sentence after 'that~' should use the past tense, 'could', too. Could anybody help me understand what I am missing…
longne
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Tense agreement: "confirmed it is" v.s. "confirmed it was"

Google:"confirmed it is" Google:"confirmed it was" Both have >400k hits but from what I learned in school, the former is ungrammatical. Or is it not? IBM confirmed it is building more data centres in the UK - Business Insider Mini Confirmed It Is…
nodakai
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