THE SEQUENCE OF TENSES 43.1. The Sequence of Tenses is the principle in accordance with which the Tense of a Verb in the Subordinate Clause fo//ows the Tense of the Verb in the Principal Clause. This means that the Tense in the Subordinate Clause is suited to the Tense of the Principal Clause. (Sequence means following on.) 43.2. Ina complex sentence, the following rules are generally observed regarding the use of the tense of the verb in the Subordinate Clause: Rule 1. If the verb in the principal clause is in the present or the future tense, the verb in the subordinate clause may be in any tense, present, past or future, according to the sense to be expressed; as. He says/ that she js ill. He says/that she was ill. He says/that she will be ill. He will say/that she js ill. He will say/ that she was ill. He will say/that she will be ill.312 A ComPREHENSIVE GRAMMAR OF CURRENT ENGLISH Rule 2. If the verb in the principal clause is in the past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause will be in the corresponding past tense: as, Rama came/that he might see me. He to/d me/ that she had been ill. He saw/that the fan had stopped. | knew/that the fan would fall. He knew/that he could not succeed. The above two rules are called the Rules of the Sequence of Tenses. 43.3. There are, however, a few exceptions to Rule 2: (i) A past tense in the principal clause may be followed by a present tense in the subordinate clause when the subordinate clause expresses some ‘universal truth’ or some ‘habitual fact’. Copernicus proved/hat the earth moves round the sun. The teacher fo/d the boys/that union is strength. He said/that honesty /s the best policy. He to/d me/that the Hindus burn their dead. Similarly, a present or future tense is used sometimes after a past tense in the principal clause, to make a statement which the speaker knows not to be true: He did not know, until | to/d him, that the Inspector fs paying a visit to the school next month. (He knew that the Inspector is paying a visit... This the speaker knows was not true. It was when he told the fact that he knew it). (ii) When the subordinate clause is an adverb clause expressing place, reason or comparison, even if there is a past tense in the principal clause, it may be followed by any tense required by the sense in the subordinate clause; A great city once stood/where now /ies the village of Rajgir. He failed because/he is weak in English. Rama worked harder/than you do. He /oved him more/than he /oves his own children. (iii) If the subordinate clause is an adjective clause, any tense required by the sense may be used: sells hats. Yesterday | met a man who will sell me a hat. sold me a hat. 43.4. But in the sentences where the subordinate clause is introduced by the Conjunction of Purpose that, the following rule is observed: Rule 3. The verb in the subordinate clause must be expressed by may or might as the verb in the principal clause is, in the present (or future) or the past tense respectively: 1 work/that | may pass. | shall work/ that | may pass. | worked/that | might pass. Rule 4. A future tense is not used in subordinate clauses beginning with when, until, before, after, etc., if the principal clause is in the Future Tense: 1. | shail tell you/when he comes. 2. | shall wait/till you return. Rule 5. The past tense is used after such expressions as: /f only, as it, it is time, wish that. / wish/that he would come. It is time/you started working. He talks/as if he were mad. If only | had a car. Rule 6. Note the tenses in the sentence containing since; / have not seen him since he came to Delhi.A CompreHensive GRamMaR OF CURRENT ENGLISH 313 | EXERCISE -1_ Insert the Correct Tense of the Verb in the following sentences: (1) Ltold him why L.....ceeeeeee reece eee that. (To do). (2) The teacher asked the boys whether they ...the sums (To solve). (3) | shall go home during the vacation so that | my brother. (To see). (4) My son’s health was so bad last year that he failed............-.+.- the examination. (To take). (5) When | him last, | spoke to him. (To see). (6) Although they. (7) He tried how fast he. (8) Our teacher taught us that Virtue. (9) Our holy books tell us that man (10) He eats that he live. (11) He spoke so fast that |. (12) Just as | (13) Who told you that goats. (14) I shall fire if you (15) He heard that the cottage. (16) His health has improved since hi return) (17) Do whatever you . proper. (To think) (18) Itis clear that he. a clever boy. (To be) (19) The news that the enemy.............0+++ approaching alarmed the people ( To be) . defeated, they did not lose heart. (To be). - walk. (Can) its own reward. (To be) mortal. (To be) 'Y) -.. not follow him. (Can) the room, the bell rang. (to enter). on grass? (To live) (To speak) for sale. (To be) from the hills. (To (20) This is the place where Mohai (To live) (21) He kept quiet that he.. please me.(May) (22) He would succeed if he. (To try) (23) A great building stood where there. .... a cottage now. (To be) (24) However poor a man..........+ be, he has always something to be thankful for. (May) (25) He declared that he. his own eyes. (Will . not believe it even if he saw it with | "EXERCISE -2 | Fillin the blanks in the sliborainete| clauses with the Proper Verb in following sentences, observing the rule of the sequence of tenses: (1) | found that my SON.........s0esseeee awake. (2) The pickpocket confessed that he. (3) He was so tired that he. (4) He said he...... (5) | am afraid that his heal (6) He affirmed that | . (7) He states that he.. (8) When | went home | found he. (9) If [had known you needed money, it. you. (10) | cannot conceive how this trick (11) He said that there. (pick) my pocket. scarcely stand. write to you. F .. (fail) him. alazy good-for-nothing boy. write to my father. (die) of cholera. .. (be) a pleasure to help -- (perform). ea public meething in the hall.314 (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) A CompreHensive GRAMMAR OF CURRENT ENGLISH No one could say how the prisoner.. prison. Euclid proved that the three angles of a tringle right angles. Italy went to war that she. We hope that better time. They could not be seen as they wind (blow). The evil that me! on The passage is so difficult that. ... not comprehend it. The boy was so indolent that hi not pass. In my perplexity | appealed to my guide to tell me what! -..... to do. Can you tell me what you. ... . (see) at Bhubaneshwar? Let me have a little leisure so that | ....... attend to this business. What is not tasteful to you delicious to him. It was ten that | .....-.se seers to bed last night. (go) | was going to have meals when they .. me (call). . (escape) from the +++-equal to two (extend) her empire. come. ... (vanish) when the west (do) lives after them.