Sequence of Tense
Sequence of Tense refers to the grammatical rule that
governs the tense of verbs in subordinate (dependent) clauses, especially when
the main clause is in the past tense. The verb in the subordinate clause
must follow a specific sequence, depending on the tense of the main clause.
General Rules of Sequence of Tense
Rule
1: If the main clause is in the present or future tense, the
subordinate clause can be in any tense (according to the meaning).
·
She says that she is happy.
·
He says that he was sick.
·
I will tell you what happened.
Rule
2: If the main clause is in the past tense, the subordinate clause must be in the past form (past simple, past perfect, would,
could, etc.)
·
He said that he was tired.
·
She told me that she had finished
her work.
·
They promised that they would come.
Rule
3: If the subordinate clause expresses a universal
truth, scientific fact, or general truth, it remains in the present tense, even if the main clause is in the past.
·
The teacher said that the sun rises
in the east.
·
He told me that water boils
at 100°C.
Rule
4: Use past perfect in the subordinate clause when the
action happened before the action
in the main clause.
·
She said that she had eaten
before he arrived.
·
He told us that he had seen
the movie already.
Rule
5: Use "would," "could," "should,"
"might," or "had to" for future intentions
when the main clause is in the past.
·
He said that he would call
me later.
·
She said that she could
help us.
Summary
Table
|
Main Clause Tense |
Subordinate Clause Tense |
|
Present
/ Future |
Any
tense (present, past, future – as needed) |
|
Past |
Past
/ Past perfect / Would / Could / Might etc. |
|
Past
+ Universal Truth |
Subordinate
clause stays in present tense |
Sequence of Tense – Practice Questions set 1
1.
She said that she ___ tired after the long journey.
a) is
b) was
c) will be
d) had been
2.
He told me that he ___ the book before.
a) reads
b) has read
c) had read
d) read
3.
The teacher said that the earth ___ round.
a) was
b) is
c) will be
d) has been
4.
She said that she ___ me at the station the next day.
a) meets
b) would meet
c) met
d) meet
5.
I thought you ___ the exam already.
a) passed
b) pass
c) have passed
d) had passed
6.
He said that he ___ to the market when he saw the accident.
a) goes
b) is going
c) was going
d) went
7.
The old man said that honesty ___ the best policy.
a) is
b) was
c) will be
d) has been
8.
They promised they ___ help us with our project.
a) will
b) would
c) shall
d) can
9.
She told me that she ___ a letter to her friend the previous day.
a) writes
b) has written
c) had written
d) wrote
10. He
said that he ___ to contact me.
a) tried
b) tries
c) will try
d) had tried
11. The
scientist said that water ___ at 100 degrees Celsius.
a) boiled
b) boils
c) was boiling
d) had boiled
12. He
told me that he ___ the news on TV.
a) see
b) has seen
c) had seen
d) saw
13. I
knew that he ___ in Kathmandu at that time.
a) lives
b) is living
c) was living
d) has lived
14. She
said she ___ to finish the work by Monday.
a) hope
b) hoped
c) hopes
d) had hoped
15. They
said they ___ the game last week.
a) have played
b) will play
c) played
d) play
16. He
said that he ___ to Pokhara many times.
a) has been
b) had been
c) went
d) goes
17. The
teacher told us that light ___ faster than sound.
a) travel
b) travels
c) traveled
d) is traveling
18. She
asked me if I ___ her pen.
a) seen
b) have seen
c) had seen
d) saw
19. He
said that he ___ from his mistake.
a) learned
b) learns
c) has learned
d) had learned
20. They
mentioned that they ___ a new house soon.
a) will buy
b) buy
c) would buy
d) have bought
Answers
set 1
1.
She
said that she ___ tired after the long journey.
✅ b) was
🟢 Explanation: "Said" is in past
tense, so the subordinate clause follows with past tense: "was
tired".
2.
He
told me that he ___ the book before.
✅ c) had read
🟢 Explanation: Past action ("had
read") happened before another past action ("told"). Use past
perfect.
3.
The
teacher said that the earth ___ round.
✅ b) is
🟢 Explanation: This is a universal truth,
so use present tense even after a past tense verb.
4.
She
said that she ___ me at the station the next day.
✅ b) would meet
🟢 Explanation: "Said" is past, so
future action becomes "would + verb".
5.
I
thought you ___ the exam already.
✅ d) had passed
🟢 Explanation: "Thought" is past, so
earlier past action needs past perfect.
6.
He
said that he ___ to the market when he saw the accident.
✅ c) was going
🟢 Explanation: Ongoing action in the past while
another action happened. Use past continuous.
7.
The
old man said that honesty ___ the best policy.
✅ a) is
🟢 Explanation: Another universal truth,
so it remains in present tense.
8.
They
promised they ___ help us with our project.
✅ b) would
🟢 Explanation: Reported future action after a
past verb becomes "would".
9.
She
told me that she ___ a letter to her friend the previous day.
✅ c) had written
🟢 Explanation: Action ("writing")
happened before the past reporting verb → use past perfect.
10. He said that he ___ to contact me.
✅ d) had tried
🟢 Explanation: Past perfect is used for an
action completed before the time of speaking in the past.
11. The scientist said that water ___ at
100 degrees Celsius.
✅ b) boils
🟢 Explanation: Scientific fact = present
tense, even after a past verb.
12. He told me that he ___ the news on TV.
✅ c) had seen
🟢 Explanation: Past perfect shows the action
was completed before the telling.
13. I knew that he ___ in Kathmandu at
that time.
✅ c) was living
🟢 Explanation: Ongoing action in the past → use
past continuous.
14. She said she ___ to finish the work by
Monday.
✅ b) hoped
🟢 Explanation: Reporting verb is past, so verb
in subordinate clause is also in past.
15. They said they ___ the game last week.
✅ c) played
🟢 Explanation: Specific past time ("last
week") → use simple past.
16. He said that he ___ to Pokhara many
times.
✅ b) had been
🟢 Explanation: Repeated action before the
reporting verb → use past perfect.
17. The teacher told us that light ___
faster than sound.
✅ b) travels
🟢 Explanation: General scientific fact → use present
tense.
18. She asked me if I ___ her pen.
✅ c) had seen
🟢 Explanation: Question in indirect speech
about earlier action → use past perfect.
19. He said that he ___ from his mistake.
✅ d) had learned
🟢 Explanation: Learning occurred before the
reporting → past perfect is used.
20. They mentioned that they ___ a new
house soon.
✅ c) would buy
🟢 Explanation: Future plan reported in the past
→ use "would + base verb".
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