The document discusses the sequence of tenses rule in English grammar. It explains that the tense used in a subordinate clause is determined by the tense in the main clause and should agree with it logically and grammatically. If the main clause is in the past tense, there are three possibilities for the tense in the subordinate clause: same time as the main clause, earlier than the main clause, or later than the main clause. Examples are provided to illustrate how to determine the correct tense to use in subordinate clauses based on the tense of the main clause.

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2. 1. The Indefinite Tense
2. The Continuous Tense
3. The Perfect Tense
4. The Perfect Continuous Tense
5. The Sequence of Tenses
6. The Grammar test
7. Questions
8. Terminology
9. Historical commentary
10. The Internet resources.
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3. 1. Theory
2. Examples
3. Questions
4. Exercises
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4. The term "sequence of tenses" refers to the choice of the verb
tense in the subordinate clause depending on the tense of the verb
in the main clause. The rule of the sequence of tenses means that
the tense in the subordinate clause is determined by the tense in
the main clause and should agree with it both logically and
grammatically. The term "sequence of tenses" is often translated
into Russian as "agreement of tenses".
Generally, in complex sentences with all types of subordinate
clauses, except the object clause, the sequence of the tenses in
the pair "verb in the main clause – verb in the subordinate clause"
is logical and based on sense and general rules of the use of
tenses. The verb in the subordinate clause may be in any tense
that reflects the actual time of the action and conveys the meaning
correctly in the pair with the verb in the main clause.
Note: According to the rules of the use of tenses, the Simple
Present is used instead of the Simple Future in adverbial clauses of
time and condition referring to the future.
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5. If the verb in the main clause is in the past tense (usually, in
the Simple Past), there are three possible variants of the action in
the subordinate clause: at the same time as the action in the main
clause; earlier than the action in the main clause; later than the
action in the main clause.
If the action in the subordinate clause took place at the same
time as the action in the main clause, the Simple Past (or the Past
Continuous if required by the context) is used in the subordinate
clause.
If the action in the subordinate clause took place earlier than
the action in the main clause, the Past Perfect (or the Past Perfect
Continuous if required by the context) is used in the subordinate
clause.
If the action in the subordinate clause took place later than the
action in the main clause, the Future in the Past is used in the
subordinate clause ("would" is used instead of "will").
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6. 1. She goes for a walk in the park when the weather is good.
She went for a walk in the park when the weather was good.
2. I think (that) he lives on Rose Street.
I thought (that) he lived on Rose Street.
3. I wonder whether she will buy this house.
I wondered whether she would buy that house.
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7. Complete the sentences.
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.
Help
Check
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8. 1. What does the term “sequence of tense” mean?
2. What determine the tense in the subordinate clause?
3. Which tense is used instead of the Simple Future in
adverbial clauses of time and condition referring to the
future?
4. In which cases does the verb in the object subordinate
clause may be in any tense?
5. Why should the verb in the subordinate
clause be used in one of the past tenses?
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9. Choose the correct form.
1. She asked me about my schedule for the next week
and I answered that I ..... it yet.
o hadn't known
o didn't know
o wouldn't know
2. Nina said Lucy complained that her friends never ..... any attention to what she told them.
o would pay
o paid
o had paid
3. Mary warned his parents that ..... home late that night.
o she would come
o came
o had come
4. Did you say ..... very early the following morning?
o you would have to get up
o would you have to get up
o will you have to get up
Help
5. Mary begged me not to tell her father what ..... earlier that day.
o happen
o had happened Check
o would happen
Rules
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10. 1. What does the term “sequence of tense” mean?
2. What determines the tense in the subordinate clause?
3. Which tense is used instead of the Simple Future in adverbial
clauses of time and condition referring to the future?
4. In which cases does the verb in the object subordinate clause
may be in any tense?
5. Why should the verb in the object subordinate clause be used in
one of the past tenses?
6. Which tense is used instead of the Simple Future in adverbial
clauses of time and condition referring to the future?
7. In which cases does the verb in the object subordinate clause
may be in any tense?
8. Why should the verb in the object subordinate clause be used in
one of the past tenses?
Answers
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12. to prove, to ague, to demonstrate, to give evidence - доказывать
proof, argument, demonstration, - доказательство
Q.E.D = which was to be demonstrated
Phrase, sentence, statement, expression - утверждение,
высказывание,
суждение
to make, to be, to be equal to - равняться, равно
to add - добавлять
to divide - делить
to multiply - умножать
to subtract - вычитать
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13. http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/sequence-of-tenses
http://uchebnik.kz/angliyskiy-yazyk
http://www.homeenglish.ru/Grammarseq.htm
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14. it is interesting (now).
Jim says (that) it was interesting (yesterday).
it will be interesting (tomorrow).
it was interesting (now).
Jim said (that) it had been interesting (yesterday).
it would be interesting (tomorrow).
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
this, these that, those
now then, at that moment
here there
today that day
tomorrow the next day
the day after tomorrow two days later
in two days
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
ago before
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15. it is interesting (now).
Jim says (that) it was interesting (yesterday).
it will be interesting (tomorrow).
it was interesting (now).
Jim said (that) it had been interesting (yesterday).
it would be interesting (tomorrow).
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
this, these that, those
now then, at that moment
here there
today that day
tomorrow the next day
the day after tomorrow two days later
in two days
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
ago before
Back