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Tue 28 Aug, 2012 12:24 am
If one's life condition is in the world of hunger, one can destroy oneself. Some of the examples that our Chief Priest cited are / were gambling, alcoholism, sexual misconduct and drug addiction.
Which verb in bold should I use? I think 'are' because according to our religion, gambling, alcoholism, sexual misconduct and drug addiction are some of the causes of a life of misery and other negative things.
Thanks.
@tanguatlay,
How does reported speech work in English, Ms Tan?
@JTT,
JTT wrote:
How does reported speech work in English, Ms Tan?
IMHO, indirect citation ought to use "were" to keep the consistency with "cited."
'are' if you want it to sound as if the causes are present ones.
'were' if you want to lead to some other condition.
But either can be used.
"Some of the causes are gambling..... .
"Some of the causes were gambling ..... .
What I mean by leading to some other condition:
"Some of the causes our Chief Priest cited were gambling, blah, blah, blah, but now we face even great dangers ...... ."
The word 'were' gives the writer a chance to shift the timing of the meaning.
I hope that's clear.
Joe(It is a subtle difference)Nation
I agree with Oristar.
That is not to say Joe(may his tribe increase)Nation did not make a valid and interesting point, but I think he he overcomplicated it.
@McTag,
Quote:but I think he he overcomplicated it.
I think so too.
Joe(It's just the way I am sometimes.)Nation
@oristarA,
oristarA wrote:
JTT wrote:
How does reported speech work in English, Ms Tan?
IMHO, indirect citation ought to use "were" to keep the consistency with "cited."
Hi JTT
Oristar has answered on my behalf. However, I think, like some of the other members do that 'are' could be used to emphasise that gambling, alcoholism, sexual misconduct and drug addiction are some of the causes of a life of misery and other negative things, according to the religion I believe in.
@oristarA,
Quote:IMHO, indirect citation ought to use "were" to keep the consistency with "cited."
You've come dangerously close to saying that English has Sequence of Tenses, Ori. It most certainly does not. There is no need whatsoever to keep any consistency with "cited".
@tanguatlay,
Quote:Oristar has answered on my behalf.
In this case Ori is mistaken.
Joe has [in the quoted portions] accurately described your choices.
Quote:'are' if you want it to sound as if the causes are present ones.
'were' if you want to lead to some other condition.
But either can be used.
"Some of the causes are gambling..... .
"Some of the causes were gambling ..... .
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