THE SEQUENCE OF TENSES
TENSES USED IN ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN SUBORDINATE CLAUSES AFTER A PAST TENSE IN THE PRINCIPAL CLAUSE
| ENGLISH | RUSSIAN |
| Past Indefinite | Present |
| I knew she played the piano every day. | , () . |
| Past Continuous | Present |
| I knew she was playing the piano and did not want to disturb her. | , () , . |
| Past Perfect | Past |
| I knew she had played the piano at the evening party. | , . |
| Past Perfect Continuous (Past Perfect Inclusive) | Present (in affirmative sentences) |
| I knew she had been playing (had played) the piano for two hours. | , () . |
| Past Perfect | Past (in negative sentences) |
| I knew she had not played the piano for a long time. | , ( ) . |
| Past Perfect Continuous Exclusive | Past |
| I knew she had been playing the piano. | , . |
| Future in the Past | Future |
| I knew she would play the piano at the evening party. | , . |
The main sphere where the sequence of tenses is applied is object clauses.
Harris said he knew what kind of place I meant. (Jerome)
The sequence of tenses is not observed if the object clause expresses a general truth:
The pupils knew that water consists of oxygen and hydrogen.
In political language a present tense is often used in the object clause after a past tense in the principal clause.
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.
He asked the guard what time the train usually starts. (Curme)
He did not seem to know that nettles sting. (Curme)
In conventional direct speech the tenses are used according to the same principle which governs their uses in complex sentences with a principal clause and an object clause, though there is no principal clause.
She put her hands up to her ears; it was because there were. some thin gold rings in them, which were also worth a little money. Yes, she could surely get some money for her ornaments. The landlord and landlady had been good to her; perhaps they would help her to get the money for these things. But this money would not keep her long; what should she do when it was gone?
(Eliot)
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).
I didnt go out of the shop door, but at the back door, which opens into a narrow alley. (Eliot)
He didnt go to the cinema last night because he will have an exam tomorrow.
She worked so much yesterday that she is feeling quite weak today.
Last year he worked more than he does this year.
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He insisted on going to the library yesterday, though he will not want the book today.
The sequence of tenses is generally observed in subject clauses and predicative clauses:
What he would do was of no importance.
The question was what he would do next.
It is also observed in appositive attributive clauses:
She had a sickening sense that life would go on in this way. (Eliot)
Exercise 1. Translate the following sentences.
1. , , . 2. , . , , . 3. , , . 4. , , () . 5. , , . 6. , , . 7. , , , , . 8. , , . , . 9. , . , . 10. , - . , .
