The rules of the sequence of tenses are not compulsory (may be observed or not) when reference is made to:
- the actual present time,
- the actual past time,
- or the actual future time.
The use is found in dialogues or newspapers.
Compare the following example dialogues:
1. Laurel McKelva, Judge McKelva’s daughter, and Fay, his young wife, don’t get on well with each other.
Laurel: Fay, I wanted you to know what day I’ll be leaving. So there’ll be no danger of us running into each other.
Fay: That suits me…
Laurel: I’m giving myself three days. And I’ll leave Monday on the three o’clock flight from Jackson. I’ll be out of the house around noon.
Fay: All right, then. You just try and be as good as your word.
(E. Welty. The Optimist’s Daughter)
2. Ada is busy making supper so she can’t hear properly what Dave is telling her.
Dave: Darling, we must start making new plans.
Ada: I’m making a salad for supper.
Dave: What?
Ada: Salad!
Dave: Plans!
Ada: What?
Dave: Plans!
Ada: No, salad!
Dave: Let’s get together - what are you talking about?
Ada: I said I’m making a salad for supper.
Dave: Oh. And I said we must start making new plans.
(A. Wesker. I’m Talking About Jerusalem)
3. Paul comes to Miriam to help her with algebra.
Miriam: Hello! I knew it was you.
Paul: How?
Miriam: I knew your step. Nobody treads so quick and firm.
Paul: Ready to do some algebra?
Miriam: But…
Paul: You said you wanted.
Miriam: To-night, though?
Paul: But I came on purpose. And if you want to learn it, you must begin.
(D. H. Lawrence. Sons and Lovers)
4. In despair Vincent Van Gogh broke the plaster foot from which he drew; the plaster foot belonged to Mauve; now with his last money Vincent buys a new plaster foot and comes to Mauve’s house.
Jet: Anton isn’t at home. He’s frightfully angry at you. He said he doesn’t ever want to see you again. Oh, Vincent, I’m so unhappy that this has happened!
Vincent (putting the plaster foot in her hand): Please give this to Anton and tell him that I am deeply sorry.
(I. Stone. Lust for Life)
5. Vincent Van Gogh talks in Paris with his brother Theo.
Theo: … The Third Republic will probably be permanent. The royalists are quite dead and the socialists are coming into power. Emile Zola was telling me the other night that the next revolution will be against capitalism instead of royalty.
Vincent: Zola! How nice for you to know him, Theo.
Theo: Paul Cezanne introduced me to him. We all meet once a week at the Café Batignolles. I’ll take you there next time I go.
(I. Stone. Lust for Life)
- Go to the 'Sequence of Tenses and Reported Speech Statements' page
- Go to 'Grammar in Dialogues' page
- When Not to Use Sequence of Tenses