This is a nice little introduction from ANTIMOON:
The use of tenses in news
Hello all,
Just wanted you to look at the quotation shown hereunder and let me know whether my explanation of the use of tenses therein is admissible.
«Maliki HAS BEEN CRITICIZED [1] by Washington and leaders of the once-dominant Sunni Arab minority for failing to disarm his Mehdi Army..... Abdul Mahdi Mtiri, a member of the Sadrists' political committee, SAID [2] Iraqi officials HAD PROMISED [3] Darraji would be released..... The United Nations SAYS [4] more than 34,000 civilians were killed in 2006.»
[1]. Indicates an unfinished action: he has been criticized up to the present.
[2]. He said that once in an interview or something. Simple Past.
[3]. Sequence of tenses. The (alleged) promise had been made before he said about it. Past before Past.
[4]. "Says" casts an emphasize on actuality. "Says"="current opinion is". Thus, Present Simple.
Thanks in advance,
Anton.
Just wanted you to look at the quotation shown hereunder and let me know whether my explanation of the use of tenses therein is admissible.
«Maliki HAS BEEN CRITICIZED [1] by Washington and leaders of the once-dominant Sunni Arab minority for failing to disarm his Mehdi Army..... Abdul Mahdi Mtiri, a member of the Sadrists' political committee, SAID [2] Iraqi officials HAD PROMISED [3] Darraji would be released..... The United Nations SAYS [4] more than 34,000 civilians were killed in 2006.»
[1]. Indicates an unfinished action: he has been criticized up to the present.
[2]. He said that once in an interview or something. Simple Past.
[3]. Sequence of tenses. The (alleged) promise had been made before he said about it. Past before Past.
[4]. "Says" casts an emphasize on actuality. "Says"="current opinion is". Thus, Present Simple.
Thanks in advance,
Anton.
Again: past tense and present tense problem
I think I still have a problem with grammar. I found the following text at the bbc website:
"Scientists in South Korea say they believe the North's claim is genuine, but they are still trying to get further confirmation."
I still don't understand why the writer used "say" (not said) and "is genuine" (not was genuine).
why?
"Scientists in South Korea say they believe the North's claim is genuine, but they are still trying to get further confirmation."
I still don't understand why the writer used "say" (not said) and "is genuine" (not was genuine).
why?
Because the situation is still the case. Don't get too hung up on backshifting everything. We often use the present in reporting if the situation is current or unchanged.
"I'm coming to the part this weekend."
Options:
She says she's coming this weekend.
She said she was coming this weekend.
"I'm coming to the part this weekend."
Options:
She says she's coming this weekend.
She said she was coming this weekend.
Now, I take another sentence from the same source:
"Meeting in New York, the UN Security Council strongly condemned North Korea over its claimed test."
Now, why the writer uses "condemned" (not condemn)?
Thanks
for reference:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6036129.stm
"Meeting in New York, the UN Security Council strongly condemned North Korea over its claimed test."
Now, why the writer uses "condemned" (not condemn)?
Thanks
for reference:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6036129.stm
I have a different opinion why he/she uses past tense. In my opinion, it is because the meeting has finished. Is it so? It refers to an event that has been closed (a meeting in New York).
From BBC LEARNING ENGLISH - but notice the predominant use of the simple present:
Paris smog
Summary
17 March 2014
Motorists in Paris face an unusual day of restrictions as the government tries to reduce high levels of pollution in the city. Today only cars with odd-numbered registration plates are allowed to drive. Tomorrow, if the restrictions remain in place, it'll be even-numbered cars that can be driven.
Reporter:
Reporter:
Hugh Schofield
Authorities hope more people will use public transport
Listen
Click to hear the report
Report
Learning English - Words in the News - Paris smog
The alternative VOICE OF AMERICA has a very interesting story on how another language deals with different tenses. Listen and read to this:
'I Think the Most Important Part of Being Cherokee Is the Language'
Just look at any newspaper headlines and they'll be dominated by present tenses - present simple and present perfect.
But the main story will be full of the narrative tenses - past simple in particular:
The Independent | News | UK and Worldwide News | Newspaper
The Sun | The Best for News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities | The Sun
Similarly, listening to or watching the news will give a similar pattern for headlines (it's happening now!) followed by the detail (what happened when)
RT
Al Jazeera English - Live US, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Sports, Weather & Business News
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