7. The sequence of tense The sequence of tense means when the verb of the main clause is the past form like the past tense and the past perfect form (PaPF) etc., the other verb of the subordinate clause is changed into the past. For example, if the verb of the subordinate clause is the present tense, it is changed into the past tense, and if it is the past tense, it is changed into PaPF and if it is the present perfect form (PrPF) , it is changed into PaPF. When it is PaPF, it is not changed since the further past form is not in English. Especially, it is often seen between the direct speech and the indirect speech, therefore, it is explained with them. 7.1. The direct speech and the indirect speech The direct speech means the hearer utters the speaker's talk as it is, but the indirect speech means the hearer utters it in the view of the hearer. See the following examples. (1) a. He said, "I'm very happy to see you." b. He said that he was very happy to see me. (1a) is the direct speech and (1b) is the indirect speech. When (1a) is changed into (1b), the sequence of tense occurs. "I'm" is changed into "he was." Since it is said in the view of the hearer, the person pronoun is also changed. The next examples are the same. (2) a. She said, "It is time to go." b. She said that it was time to go. The next examples use the future expression. (3) a. She said, "I'll leave for Tokyo tomorrow." b. She said that she'd leave for Tokyo the next day. The auxiliary verb is also changed. Moreover, "tomorrow" is changed into "the next day", because the day is passed, she can not say it. The next examples are the same. (4) a. She said, "I saw him yesterday." b. She said that she had seen him the day before. (5) a. She said, "I had an accident yesterday." b. She said that she had had an accident the previous day. The next example has already used the past perfect form (PaPF). (6) a. She said, "I had already seen him." b. She said he had already seen him. Since the further past is not in English, PaPF is not changed, but the person pronoun is changed. Now, "tomorrow" and "yesterday" are often changed into another adverb as mentioned above, but if the hearer says them in the same day, it is natural to use them. See the following examples. (7) a. She said, "I had an accident yesterday." b. She said that she had had an accident yesterday. The time representation of these is shown below. (8) a. She said, "I'll leave for Tokyo tomorrow." b. She said that she'd leave for Tokyo the next day. To represent them, it needs two time line because both of the clauses are the noun clauses. The upper time line is parallel to the main clause and the lower time line is parallel to the subordinate clause. Moreover, the dotted line expresses the time relationship. S of the lower time line in (8a) is derived from E of the upper, but it is derived from S of it in (8b). And S disappears because it is said by the same hearer. *30 *30 (8a) is said the relative time relationship and (8b) is said the absolute time relationship. Now, the lower line of (8a) is the future expression but that of (8b) becomes the past tense. This is the sequence of tense. The next time representation is the same. (9) a. She said, "It is time to go." b. She said that it was time to go. The present tense of the lower line of (9a) is changed into the past tense of that of (9b). (10) a. She said, "I saw him yesterday." b. She said that she had seen him the day before. The past tense changed into PaPF. (11) a. She said, "I had already seen him." b. She said he had already seen him. The PaPF is not changed, but the dotted line is changed. As mentioned above, these time representation expresses the sequence of tense. The reason why it is occurred is because M is separated from the present to the past on the upper time line.

Copyright (c) EnglishCafe : Unapproved printing of the text and figure in this site is forbidden.