The main sphere where the sequence of tenses is applied is object clauses.
· The sequence of tenses is not observed if the object clause expresses a general truth
e.g. The pupils knew that water consists of oxygen and hydrogen
· In political language a present tense is often ised in the obj.clause
e.g.The speaker said that the peoples want peace.
· The sequence of tenses is often not observed if something is represented as habitual, customary, or characteristic.
e.g. He asked the guard what time the train ususallystarts.
· The sequence of tenses does not concern attributive relative clauses and adverbial clauses of cause, result, comparison, and concession (if the verb stands in the Indicative Mood):
e.g. He didn’t go to the cinema last night because he will have an exam tomorrow. (Adv.clause of cause)
e.g. She worked so much yesterday that she is feeling quite weak today. (Adv.clause of result)
e.g. Last year heworked more than hedoes this year. (Adv.clause of comp.)
e.g. Heinsisted on going to the library yesterday, though he will not want the book today.
Ex. 1. Use the correct form of the verb in brackets:
1. Orchids grow in the jungle and _____ (like) damp conditions.
2. He used to work in the city and _____ (live) in the suburb.
3. That shop opens at eight o'clock and _____ (shut) at six.
4. The police _____ (close) that road next Sunday for a charity bazaar so we _____ (ride) along this road.
5. Sometimes my friend and I go out on Saturday mornings. We _____ (go) to a stream where we _____ (catch) small fish. My friend _____ (take) the fish home and _____ (put) them in his aquarium. I _____ (have) not got an aquarium because there _____ (be) not enough room in my flat but my friend _____ (have) a very big aquarium. There _____ (be) many fish in it.
6. Please take this parcel with you when you _____ (go) to the Post Office. Father _____ (want) it posted.
7. I'll help them if they _____ (ask) me.
8. John would help if you _____ (ask) him.
9. I'll come if he _____ (agree) to come too.
10. She would go if Mary _____ (agree) to go too.
11. We came to the UK in 1974 and _____ (live) here ever since.
12. You can go out as soon as you _____ (finish) washing the dishes.
13. We are going to Hong Kong tomorrow and Mary _____ (come) with us.
14. I'll play with you after you _____ (play) with him.
15. What is she doing now? She _____ (read) a book.
16. What are they making? They _____ (try) to make a stool.
17. Switch off the fan when you _____ (go) out, please.
18. Tell him not to wait if the train _____ (be) late tonight.
19. Ask him if he _____ (want) anything to eat now.
20. Where have you put the book which I _____ (lend) you yesterday?
Ex.2. Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense. In some cases there are alternative answers:
1. Last week my friends and I decided to build a hut. We _____ (take) a cleaver and _____ (go) to cut some bamboo. We _____ (work) for two or three hours and when the hut _____ (finish) we _____ (feel) very pleased.
2. He said he could not come until he _____ (borrow) a bicycle. He told us that he _____ (break) his own bicycle a few days earlier.
3. If you want one you _____ (have) to pay for it.
4. When I woke up at eight o'clock last Saturday, I _____ (have) a bath as quickly as possible. I _____ (dress) and then I _____ (go) to have my breakfast. After this I _____ (get) my haversack which _____ (fill) with all sorts of things which I _____ already _____ (put) in it.
5. During the night I heard an unusual sound. I _____ (get) out of bed and _____ (hear) my brother call. He said that he _____ (wake) up because he _____ (hear) the sound of rain coming through a leak in the roof.
6. Yesterday, while I was cycling along Market Street, I _____ (see) an accident. It _____ (happen) opposite the house where my friend _____ (live).
7. My relatives were very glad to see me for it _____ (be) nearly a year since I _____ (visit) them. They soon _____ (prepare) some food for me and _____ (ask) me about my family.
8. Usually it is not raining when I _____ (go) to school in the morning. I _____ (walk) to a bus stop and then _____ (catch) a bus which _____ (take) me to the bus station. There I _____ (meet) my friend who _____ (live) in another village. We _____ (get) on another bus which _____ (go) past our school.
9. Last Sunday _____ (be) one of the most enjoyable days in my life. My friends and I _____ (plan) to go for a picnic and _____ (decide) to start early in the morning. On Saturday evening I _____ (go) to sleep earlier than usual so that I _____ (can) get up early on Sunday.
10. When my uncle comes to see me, he often _____ (take) me out hunting with him. I _____ not _____ (carry) a gun because I _____ (be) not old enough. Sometimes we _____ (manage) to shoot a wild boar and that _____ (be) always very exciting.
Ex.3. Use the correct form of the verb in brackets:
1. They noticed they (fly) for three hours already.
2. Tom said that it (take) him an hour to get to the station.
3. She asked them if they (play) tennis in the afternoon.
4. Mary asked her brother if he (can) tell her the way to the shop.
5. Peter and John told me they (go) to the Kremlin the day before yesterday.
6. Mother said she (have) a bad headache. Don't bother her.
7. Dorothy asked Margaret if she (be) going to buy a new dress in the nearest future.
8. They told us they (visit) the Tretyakovskaya gallery next Sunday.
9. Jack said that he already (write) the letter.
10. They asked if the work (finish) by tomorrow.
Ex.4. Put in the right tense or form of the verb in brackets:
1. (to come)
1. He promised _____next Monday because he could not _____ on Saturday.
2. My uncle _____ to see us yesterday. He usually _____ every week.
3. I can see Nick _____ along the road.
4. They _____n't _____ to see us since last March.
2. (to eat)
1. ____ you _____ all that pizza last night?
2. Janet wants something _____.
3. Look at those greedy boys _____ those plums as fast as they can go.
4. She _____ her dinner when I called at her house so I had to wait for her to finish.
5. When you _____ your breakfast, there is something I want you to do for me.
3. (to send)
1. After I _____ the parcel to Ken, I discovered that I had left something out.
2. What are you going _____ to Peter as a present?
3. _____ you please _____ the spare parts as soon as you can. I would like to use them tomorrow if possible.
4. Yesterday my friend _____ home from school because he did not feel well.
5. He is often transferred from one place to another. He expects _____ to Midlands next month.
4. (to finish)
1. She said that we couldn't go out until we _____ our work.
2. We can go out when we _____ our homework.
3. _____ you _____ sweeping out the room last night, Mary?
ADDITIONAL TRAINING EXERCISES: Do Exercises 1, p.207 from the exercise book by V.Kaushanskaya.
TOPIC 15. Indirect Speech