Should I use had or have?
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Should it be 'he told me that they had...' or 'he told me that they have...'? The people he was talking about still have the things presently so which would be correct?
word-usage
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
add a comment |
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Should it be 'he told me that they had...' or 'he told me that they have...'? The people he was talking about still have the things presently so which would be correct?
word-usage
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
Depends on context.
– Hot Licks
Nov 8 at 0:21
1
They are both correct but have different meanings. It depends entirely on whether he he was alluding to their present state (they have) or just referring to the situation as it then stood (they had).
– Chappo
Nov 8 at 2:02
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Should it be 'he told me that they had...' or 'he told me that they have...'? The people he was talking about still have the things presently so which would be correct?
word-usage
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
Should it be 'he told me that they had...' or 'he told me that they have...'? The people he was talking about still have the things presently so which would be correct?
word-usage
word-usage
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
asked Nov 8 at 0:19
SilverHearted 108
11
11
Depends on context.
– Hot Licks
Nov 8 at 0:21
1
They are both correct but have different meanings. It depends entirely on whether he he was alluding to their present state (they have) or just referring to the situation as it then stood (they had).
– Chappo
Nov 8 at 2:02
add a comment |
Depends on context.
– Hot Licks
Nov 8 at 0:21
1
They are both correct but have different meanings. It depends entirely on whether he he was alluding to their present state (they have) or just referring to the situation as it then stood (they had).
– Chappo
Nov 8 at 2:02
Depends on context.
– Hot Licks
Nov 8 at 0:21
Depends on context.
– Hot Licks
Nov 8 at 0:21
1
1
They are both correct but have different meanings. It depends entirely on whether he he was alluding to their present state (they have) or just referring to the situation as it then stood (they had).
– Chappo
Nov 8 at 2:02
They are both correct but have different meanings. It depends entirely on whether he he was alluding to their present state (they have) or just referring to the situation as it then stood (they had).
– Chappo
Nov 8 at 2:02
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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0
down vote
Let's break it down.
"He told me" is a past sentence.
"that" is a connector.
"they had something" is a past sentence, in layman's term, a past from past. When you join two past sentences using a connector you use the past verbs.
He told me that they had something is a correct sentence in such situations. When you want to quote someone word to word, then you can use their 100% wordings in double quotes,
He told me "They have something".
in short, either you can go with He told me that they had something or He told me "They have something".
P.S.
Depending on the context, He told me "They had something" is also correct if the teller is telling something about the past, not present.
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
Not necessarily. As Chappo says above, if the information given in the past refers to an ongoing situation, it's correct to use 'have'. He told me that they have all the equipment they need for their expedition means that they had it then and still do.
– Kate Bunting
Nov 8 at 9:56
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
Let's break it down.
"He told me" is a past sentence.
"that" is a connector.
"they had something" is a past sentence, in layman's term, a past from past. When you join two past sentences using a connector you use the past verbs.
He told me that they had something is a correct sentence in such situations. When you want to quote someone word to word, then you can use their 100% wordings in double quotes,
He told me "They have something".
in short, either you can go with He told me that they had something or He told me "They have something".
P.S.
Depending on the context, He told me "They had something" is also correct if the teller is telling something about the past, not present.
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
Not necessarily. As Chappo says above, if the information given in the past refers to an ongoing situation, it's correct to use 'have'. He told me that they have all the equipment they need for their expedition means that they had it then and still do.
– Kate Bunting
Nov 8 at 9:56
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Let's break it down.
"He told me" is a past sentence.
"that" is a connector.
"they had something" is a past sentence, in layman's term, a past from past. When you join two past sentences using a connector you use the past verbs.
He told me that they had something is a correct sentence in such situations. When you want to quote someone word to word, then you can use their 100% wordings in double quotes,
He told me "They have something".
in short, either you can go with He told me that they had something or He told me "They have something".
P.S.
Depending on the context, He told me "They had something" is also correct if the teller is telling something about the past, not present.
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
Not necessarily. As Chappo says above, if the information given in the past refers to an ongoing situation, it's correct to use 'have'. He told me that they have all the equipment they need for their expedition means that they had it then and still do.
– Kate Bunting
Nov 8 at 9:56
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Let's break it down.
"He told me" is a past sentence.
"that" is a connector.
"they had something" is a past sentence, in layman's term, a past from past. When you join two past sentences using a connector you use the past verbs.
He told me that they had something is a correct sentence in such situations. When you want to quote someone word to word, then you can use their 100% wordings in double quotes,
He told me "They have something".
in short, either you can go with He told me that they had something or He told me "They have something".
P.S.
Depending on the context, He told me "They had something" is also correct if the teller is telling something about the past, not present.
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
Let's break it down.
"He told me" is a past sentence.
"that" is a connector.
"they had something" is a past sentence, in layman's term, a past from past. When you join two past sentences using a connector you use the past verbs.
He told me that they had something is a correct sentence in such situations. When you want to quote someone word to word, then you can use their 100% wordings in double quotes,
He told me "They have something".
in short, either you can go with He told me that they had something or He told me "They have something".
P.S.
Depending on the context, He told me "They had something" is also correct if the teller is telling something about the past, not present.
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
answered Nov 8 at 0:42
user1451111
1083
1083
Not necessarily. As Chappo says above, if the information given in the past refers to an ongoing situation, it's correct to use 'have'. He told me that they have all the equipment they need for their expedition means that they had it then and still do.
– Kate Bunting
Nov 8 at 9:56
add a comment |
Not necessarily. As Chappo says above, if the information given in the past refers to an ongoing situation, it's correct to use 'have'. He told me that they have all the equipment they need for their expedition means that they had it then and still do.
– Kate Bunting
Nov 8 at 9:56
Not necessarily. As Chappo says above, if the information given in the past refers to an ongoing situation, it's correct to use 'have'. He told me that they have all the equipment they need for their expedition means that they had it then and still do.
– Kate Bunting
Nov 8 at 9:56
Not necessarily. As Chappo says above, if the information given in the past refers to an ongoing situation, it's correct to use 'have'. He told me that they have all the equipment they need for their expedition means that they had it then and still do.
– Kate Bunting
Nov 8 at 9:56
add a comment |
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Depends on context.
– Hot Licks
Nov 8 at 0:21
1
They are both correct but have different meanings. It depends entirely on whether he he was alluding to their present state (they have) or just referring to the situation as it then stood (they had).
– Chappo
Nov 8 at 2:02