Hi,
I sometimes see sentences like
The minister has said that the tax will increase by 3%
(The present perfect followed by the future tense)
I don't understand why this is possible. As I understand it, the minister has said something so it happened in the past. why the future tense is used in this sentence. Can I write
The minister has said that the tax would increase by 3% instead.
Which one of the following two sentences is correct and why?
She has told me that she buys the car.
She has told me that she brought the car.
2006-12-27 22:03:03 · 10 answers · asked by Iwanttoknow 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
In a sense, "will" and "would" mean the same, but "would" is conditional and tends to be used to indicate the past, so in your "the minister has said..." example, you couldn't replace "will".
In your "she bought the car" example, the two clauses (in the infinitive: "she tells me" and "she buys the car") should be in the same tense, i.e. either both present perfect (she has told me that she has bought the car) or past (she told me she bought the car). If you were to add "has" into the past example, it would merely add emphasis, e.g. if somebody says she hasn't bought the car, you could say "she told me she HAS bought the car".
It's harder to explain than I thought but I hope you understand!?
2006-12-27 22:11:56 · answer #1 · answered by mishmash 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The words "has said" are present perfect. In other words, you are in the present speaking about a pronouncement in the past and looking towards the future.
Your alternative sentence is only possible if you change your tense into the past preterite, i.e. "the minister said that tax would increase by 3%.". That projects the entire sentence into the past.
Neither of the other sentences is correct. My suggestions:
"She told me that she was buying the car."
"She has told me that she is buying the car."
In the first, you are relating a conversation which took place entirely in the past. She told you about what she was doing at that time.
In the second you are in the present, looking back on something which happened at an indefinite point in the past about what is happening at some imprecise point in the present/future. You have been told about her intentions and she will be carrying them out at some point soon.
2006-12-28 06:24:36 · answer #2 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"will" is correct, there are two events occurring in the statement - the minister's statement and the tax increase. The minister's statement has already been made (e.g. yesterday), the tax increase hasn't yet occurred (e,g, it takes effect tomorrow),
"would" isn't exactly incorrect, but it has more of a conditional sense to it, i.e. the statement is usually followed by some sort of circumstance (e.g. if the demand for social programmes continues to increase).
"brought" should be "bought", but other than that small typo, the second is correct. You are talking to a friend about another friend who told you (e,g, when she talked to you yesterday, past tense) that she bought the car (e.g. last night).
2006-12-28 06:14:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first one would be "The minister said that tax will increase by 3%"
and the second........ "She told me that she bought the car"
Take out the 'has' it makes more sense.
2006-12-28 06:09:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The minister has said that the tax would increase by 3% instead - you missed out the question mark ! however the second statement is the correct one . To pose such a question leads one to assume that you know the answer and are showing off your syntax ( or whatever it is ) so why be such a pedant ?
2006-12-28 06:21:12 · answer #5 · answered by christopher o 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is possible(1st one)... the minister already said that "the tax will go up 3%" in the past... but the increase has not happened yet..
"She has told me that she bought the car" is correct.. but it would be better if you use simple past- She told me that she bought the car... hehe......
2006-12-28 06:35:24 · answer #6 · answered by jamie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel the correct way to say it concerning the minister is "would" and assuming you meant "bought" that would be the proper way to say that sentence.
2006-12-28 06:14:37 · answer #7 · answered by SUzyQ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the second makes sense. the first sentence has a lapse in grammar. you can only shift tenses in special cases like the one in your example. it can be done if it makes sense sadly the first sentence doesnt make any sense.
2006-12-28 06:13:35 · answer #8 · answered by disturbed. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what you want to say.
Brought means to bring not to buy.
2006-12-28 06:06:48 · answer #9 · answered by Boscombe 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
2nd one, she is telling you that she has brought the car to your location.
2006-12-28 06:08:42 · answer #10 · answered by paul m 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋