The Rules of the Sequence of Tenses

§ 54. In certain types of subordinate clauses the tenses are

used relatively, i.e. the tense form does not refer the action to the

present, past or future but shows whether the action of the subor-

dinate clause is simultaneous with the action of the principal

clause, precedes it or follows it.

The choice of the tense form in the subordinate clause depends
ion the tense form used in the principal clause. This structurally
dependent use of tenses in certain types of clauses is known as the
rules of the sequence of tenses.

§ 55. The relative use of tenses is mainly observed in subordi-
nate object clauses.

l) After one of the past forms in the principal clause (includ-
ng the Future-in-the-Past) we find past forms in the subordinate
clause.

If the action of the object clause is simultaneous with that of
the principal clause, the Past Indefinite or the Past Continuous is
used in the object clause no matter which past form is found in the
principal clause (the Past Indefinite, the Past Continuous, the Past
Perfect, the Past Perfect Continuous, or the Future-in-the-Past).

e.g. Nobody knew what he meant.
I thought you were joking.
He had not realized how nervous she was.
He would never know what she was thinking.

If the action of the object clause precedes that of the principal
clause, the Past Perfect or the Past Perfect Continuous is used in
the object clause no matter which past form is found in the princi-
pal clause.

e.g. The people she met seemed to know where she had been, what

she had been doing.

He was finally telling them what he had been concealing.
Soames looked at her. He had said that she had not changed;
now he perceived that she had.

If the action of the object clause follows that of the principal
clause, the Future-in-the-Past or one of the other means of ex-

pressing future actions viewed from the past is used in the object
clause no matter which past tense-aspect form is found in the
principal clause.

e.g. I had feared that my companion would talk too much, but it
was soon plain that there was no such danger.
I explained that I was going up to London.
He thought of how wet they were going to get in the rain.
She knew that George would be waiting for her.

2) The rules of the sequence of tenses are also observed in ob-
ject clauses if one of the present forms is used in the principal
clause.

If the action of the object clause is simultaneous with that of
the principal clause we find either the Present Indefinite or the
Present Continuous in it no matter which of the present forms is
used in the principal clause.

e.g. Maurice doesn't know what he is doing.
"I know just how they feel," said Sophia.
I am beginning to think you're a fool.
You've noticed, I daresay, that she travels a good deal.
"Adeline has been telling me," he said, "that her father is
willing to send her abroad."

If the action of the object clause precedes that of the principal
clause we' find the Present Perfect, the Past Indefinite, the
Present Perfect Continuous or the Past Continuous in it no matter
which of the present forms is used in the principal clause.

e.g. I don't know whether any of you have met her.
I don't see why he did it.
I don't want her to see I've been crying.

I'm beginning to understand why your grandfather left you
his house.

If the action of the object clause follows that of the principal
clause we find one of the future forms or one of the other means
of expressing futurity in it no matter which of the present forms
is used in the principal clause.

e.g. I don't think he'll ever forgive me for asking these people to
come here.

I expect she'll be ringing up again very shortly.
I don't know how I'm going to do it.

I've just told everyone that I'm sending him to school this au-
tumn.

She's hoping I shall be back by Monday week.
They haven't even told me who my successor is going to be.

3) The rules of the sequence of tenses are observed in object
clauses if one of the future forms or one of the means of express-
ing future actions is used in the principal clause.

If the action in the object clause is simultaneous with that of
the principal clause we find the Present Indefinite or the Present
Continuous in it.

e.g. I am sure we shall find we have quite a lot to say to one another.
Sir Walter will tell you that I'm not exaggerating.

If the action in the object clause precedes that of the principal
clause we find the Present Perfect or the Past Indefinite in it.

e.g. Miss Sophia will be glad you've come.

They will ask you when you arrived in New York.
I never liked the idea and I'm not going to say I did.
Oh, come, you're not going to tell me that you've never been
in love since you were in love with me.

If the action in the object clause follows that of the principal
clause we find one of the future forms or one of the other means
of expressing future actions in it.

e.g. I'll tell you what I'll do.

We'll let you know what we are going to do about it.

You are going to say that this will cost you a thousand pounds.

Note 1. Grammars usually say that the choice of the tense form in the subor-
dinate clause is free after a present or a future tense form in the principal clause.
This is not quite correct as only the above described forms can be used in this case,
their choice being as strict and as regular as after a past tense form in the princi-
pal clause.

It is true, the relative use of tense forms is not so obvious after a present
tense form in the principal clause since the situation is viewed from the moment of
speaking and at first sight the use of tense forms seems to depend only on the
sense. However, if we compare the use of tenses in object clauses after a present,
past and future tense form it becomes evident that their choice always depends on
the tense form of the predicate verb in the principal clause.

Besides, after a future tense in the principal clause it is a present tense form
that is used in the object clause to express simultaneousness, but not a future
tense form which might be logically expected (see the examples above). It might
also be expected that a present tense form would denote priority after a future
tense form in the principal clause but actually it is the Present Perfect or the Past
Indefinite that are used.

Note 2. The rules of the sequence of tenses are observed in all object clauses ir-
respective of the conjunction or the conjunctive word by which the clause is intro-
duced. The object clause may also be joined to the principal clause asyndetically
(see the examples above).

Note 3. It should be noted that the rules of the sequence of tenses hold good in
object clauses after a formal it used as the subject of the principal clause.

e.g. It pleased me to think that he was making progress.
It appears that you know my name.
It was remarkable that she seldom thought of Gerald.
It was announced at the commencement of the congress that
a special mission would leave to investigate the crisis.

§ 56. Object clauses are usually subordinated to the predicate
of the principal clause. But they may also be subordinated to
some other parts of the sentence, expressed by a verbal and occa-
sionally by an adjective. In this case the finite form of the subor-
dinate clause also depends on the form of the predicate verb in
the principal clause.

e.g. He wanted them to see that he was not hostile.

Winslow was fond of saying that he had a large collection of
pictures.

He finally went home, satisfied that he would have no trou-
ble.

John had left in April perfectly ignorant of what he wanted
to become.

§ 57. The rules of the sequence of tenses in object clauses are
sometimes violated. This occurs in the following cases:

1) In present-time contexts after a past form in the principal
clause when reference is made to the actual present time (a), the
actual past time (b) or the actual future time (c). This is found In
dialogues (in plays, novels, stories) and also in newspaper and ra-
dio reports.

e.g. a) I told Lewis that we're worried about Myrtle.

I was obliged to tell him that too much depends on our de-
cision.

Muriel said she's been ringing you all day, Mother.
I wonder if you understood a word of what I have been
saying.

b) I think you said you came in a taxi.

"All night long I have been dreaming about this break-
fast." "I thought you said you didn't sleep."

c) I came to tell you that I'll vote against you.

I read the other day that they are going to raise the war

pensions.
"Did you know," she said, "that Roy is having Lord and

Lady Boscastle to lunch?"

In the above examples we may speak of the absolute use of fi-
nite forms as they actually refer the actions to the present, past or

future.

It should be pointed out that though there is a tendency in
present-day English to use the finite forms absolutely, the well-es-
tablished tradition of their relative use is still holding ground.
There are numerous examples of the same kind as those given
above in which the rules of the sequence of tenses are strictly ob-
served. Moreover, sometimes the formal dependence of the finite
form of the object clause on that of the principal clause appears
even illogical, contradicting the actual state of things, and yet
the tradition does not give way.

e.g. "I came to see how your health was," he said to Miss Marple.
You are not angry with me because I quite forgot it was my

birthday today.
I hear you are going to be married again; I thought you were

tired of that game.
I didn't know I was so strong.

2) After a past form in the principal clause when the speaker
believes that he is dealing with facts, statements or opinions which
are true of all times, are a kind of general truth. In this case the
Present Indefinite is used in the object clause after a past form in
the principal clause. Examples of this kind are not very numerous.

e.g. You made me understand what love really is.

They were so young that they did not know what an advan-
tage it is to be in society.

Soames was realizing more and more than ever how essential
reputation is to a solicitor.

3) With certain modal verbs having only one form, e.g. must,
should, ought and need.

e.g. I wrote that I must see him.

He said he was sure that there must be some mistake.
I didn't think you need worry.

I knew that from now on he should do no more work.
Two people advised me recently, almost in the same words,
that I ought to see a doctor.

§ 58. As has been said, the rules of the sequence of tenses are
mainly applied in object clauses. Yet these rules are strictly ob-
served in some other cases too:

a) in subject and predicative clauses,

e.g. How she managed to do it is not known.
This is not what I expected.
That he has behaved as a coward is a fact.
After all, it's what we've been hoping all along, isn't it?
Why they had voted against him was a mystery.
My first impression was that they all behaved very well.
That he would soon ask for help was almost a certainty.
My only fear was that Finn would forget what he was sup-
posed to be doing.

b) in appositive clauses,

e.g. The author expresses the confidence that readers of the paper

will support the candidate.

She had the sensation that someone hidden among the trees
was watching her as she passed.

c) in clauses of purpose (in which we mainly find the modal
verbs can and may),

e.g. I want to move to London so that I can really begin a new life.

As you go, leave the door open so that the light may show

you some of the way down.
The doctor stepped around so that she could see him, and

nodded.
He exclaimed loudly and clearly, so that all might hear.

d) in simple sentences as well as in all types of clauses in so-
called inner speech (a stylistic device which consists in the author
describing the thoughts of his characters as if they were speaking
to themselves),

e.g. The house wasn't too bad, he reflected to himself. It was
good, solidly built, though rather ugly. It would be quite
comfortable to live in.

It was quite true, thought Lady Seal. Neville had spoken.
surprisingly well that morning, as though at last he were
fully alive to his responsibilities. She would ask him to
luncheon. But perhaps he would be busy; many people
were busy in those days.

e) in simple sentences in which a parenthetic sentence is in-
serted (the tense form of the simple sentence depends on that of
the parenthetic one),

e.g. The house had, he admitted, a feeling of solidity and security.
The idea wasn't too bad, he reflected to himself.
It was all being done very well, Mrs Bantry thought.

§59. In all the other clauses, i.e. other than object, subject,
predicative, appositive clauses and clauses of purpose, the use of
the finite forms is structurally independent, i.e. the finite form is
chosen in accordance with the sense to be conveyed.

Yet in narration in the vast majority of attributive clauses as
well as clauses of time, cause, result, comparison, condition or
concession we find past forms. In fact, this seems to be the gener-
al rule. But the reason why it is used is not its structural depen-
dence on the finite form in the principal clause. Since all the
events in narration refer to the past, it is only natural that one of
the past forms should be used in these types of clauses.

e-g. I was in the garden one morning with Brenda when a car
drew up to the front door.

But no one knew how the Greeks were holding on, because

the supplies were getting scarce.
A tall tired-looking man, whom he had not met before, came

out and without a word led him into the office.
It was one of the happiest afternoons he had ever spent.
She was as glad to end the conversation as he was.
Harris was so overcome with joy that he fainted.

But when necessary, it is possible to use any tense form re-
quired by the situation in such clauses.

e.g. Georgie, who is now twenty-six, had been an undergraduate

at Cambridge, where she had taken a degree of economics.
We were standing in the part of the market that is devoted to

flowers.
"It was many years ago," said Miss Marple, "but nevertheless

human nature was very much the same as it is now."
He was as fond of his father as I am of mine.
I had known Palmer, when this story starts, for nearly four

years.
I had never seen him before and I had never heard anything

about him at the time, though I have heard a good deal since.

§ 60. The rules of the sequence of tenses are also observed in
clauses of the second, third, etc. grade of subordination. Yet the
choice of the finite form does not depend in this case on the finite
form in the principal clause — it is determined by the form of the
verb in the clause to which it is subordinated.

e.g. He hurried her away, grumbling to himself | (1) that he had
known | (2) how it would be.

In the above example, clause 1 is subordinated to the principal
clause and the Past Perfect is used to express the priority of the
action to that of the principal clause; clause 2, however, is subor-
dinated to clause 1 and the Future-in-the-Past serves to show an
action following that of clause 1.

In the following example the Past Indefinite in clause 1 shows
that the action is simultaneous with that of the principal clause;
the Past Perfect in clause 2 expresses the priority of the action to
that in clause 1.

e.g. I discovered | (1) that he thought | (2) nothing specially
unusual had happened.

The same rule is illustrated in the following examples:

e.g. Awkwardly, with kindness, he asked me about my studies. He
said that Ann had told him how I was working.

But I was delayed and when I arrived the landlady told me
that the girl had said she was not used to being kept wait-
ing and had gone.

She was always so sure that at last she had found exactly
what she wanted.

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