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When the tense stays put because the statement is still true.
Why you specifically
Trong câu tường thuật, tiếng Anh thường lùi thì: hiện tại chuyển sang quá khứ, quá khứ chuyển sang quá khứ hoàn thành. Nhưng có những ngoại lệ rất quan trọng. Nếu nội dung vẫn đúng ở hiện tại, thì hiện tại có thể giữ nguyên. Điều này thường xảy ra với sự thật khoa học, chân lý chung, nghề nghiệp hay nơi ở còn đúng, và lịch trình cố định còn hiệu lực. Ví dụ, She said that the earth goes around the sun là đúng vì sự thật này vẫn đúng. He said that the meeting starts at 9 a.m. cũng có thể đúng nếu lịch họp vẫn còn hiệu lực. Vì vậy, đừng lùi thì một cách máy móc. Hãy tự hỏi trước: thông tin đó bây giờ còn đúng không? Nếu còn đúng, ta часто giữ nguyên thì gốc.
The rule
In reported speech, English often backshifts the tense: present becomes past, and past becomes past perfect. But there are important exceptions. If the statement is still true, the present tense may stay present. This is common with scientific facts, general truths, current jobs or locations, and fixed schedules or timetables. For example, She said that the earth goes around the sun is correct because the fact is still true. He said that the meeting starts at 9 a.m. can also be correct if the timetable is still valid. Do not backshift automatically. First ask: is the information still true now? If yes, the original tense can often remain unchanged.
The trap
She said that the earth went around the sun.
She said that the earth goes around the sun.
The fact is still true now, so the present simple can stay present in reported speech.
He said that water boiled at 100 degrees Celsius.
He said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Scientific facts and general truths often do not backshift in reported speech because they are still true.
The teacher said that the meeting started at 9 a.m.
The teacher said that the meeting starts at 9 a.m.
A fixed timetable or schedule can keep the present tense when the time is still valid.
My friend said that she lived in Hanoi.
My friend said that she lives in Hanoi.
If the situation is still true, the present tense may stay present after a reporting verb in the past.
Prove it
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