par achwak Jeu 28 Avr - 10:03
If John is cursing, it means that he is very angry."
She said (that) if John is cursing, it means that he is very angry. (if this is a general truth)
She said if John was cursing, it meant that he was very angry. (if this refers to a past habit; John may have changed or died since then)
Julie walked the streets without an umbrella if it was raining."
It was rumoured that Julie had walked the streets without an umbrella if it was raining.
Here only the tense in the main clause changes. No changes are made in the if-clause as it does not express a condition but functions as a time clause.
When reporting a second conditional, the following tense changes may be applied.
Future time
"If you came back tomorrow, I’d be able to help you." (reference to a possible future)
She said if I went back tomorrow, she’d be able to help me. (reported on the same day)
She said if I had gone back the next day, she would have been able to help me. (reported days later)
Present time
"If I had some chalk, I could write on the blackboard." (reference to the present)
He said if he had had some chalk, he could have written on the blackboard.
When reporting a third conditional, we apply no tense changes.
"If they had been more careful, they wouldn't have been killed in the accident", the policeman muttered.
The policeman remarked that they wouldn't have been killed in the accident if they had been more careful.
