THE SEQUENCE OF TENSE

483. The principle in accordance with which the Tense of the Verb in the Subordinate
        Clause follows the Tense of the Verb in the Principal Clause is known as the
        Sequence of Tenses.


484. There are two main rules governing the Sequence of Tenses :---

RULE 1).  If there is a Past Tense in the Principal Clause, it must be followed by a 
                  Past Tense in the Subordinate Clause.


Examples :---

(*) RULE 2). A Present or Future Tense in the Principal Clause may be followed by any
                      tense required by the sense in the Subordinate Clause.


(*) Examples :--

                                  (*)   Special Rules    (*)

485. Besides these two main rules, there are three special rules :---

(*) RULE 3. (Exception to Rule 1 ) : -  A Past Tense in the Principal Clause may be followed by                                                                   a Present tense in the Subordinate Clause when the                                                                           Subordinate Clause expresses some habitual or 
                                                                  universal  fact.


(*) Examples :--

      1). The teacher taught us that the earth is round.
      2). The King said that all men are mortal.
      3). He learnt from his experience that pride has a fall.
      4). Galileo proved that the earth moves round the sun.




(*) RULE 4. When the Subordinate Clause is introduced by some Conjunction of
                    comparison, e.g. than, Rule 1 does not apply at all. Any tense can be followed
                    by any tense.

NOTE :-- If the comparison is expressed by as well as instead of than, the same rule
                 holds good. Any tense may be followed by any tense, according to the sense
                 intended by the speaker.

(*) Example :-  1) She likes me as well as she liked him.
                           2) She liked me as well as she likes him.
                           3) She will like me as well as she liked him.





(*) RULE 5 . ( Conjunctions of Purpose ). When the Subordinate Clause is introduced by a
                       Conjunction of Purpose, the following two rules must be observed :--

(1) if the Verb in the Principal Clause is in the Present or Future Tense, the Verb in the
      Subordinate Clause must be expressed by may ( Present Tense ).

(2) If the Verb in the Principal Clause is in the past tense, the Verb in the Subordinate Clause           must be expressed by ' might'  ( Past Tense ).

      1). He worked hard that he might succeed.
      2). He was working hard that he might succeed.
      3). He had worked hard that he might succeed.
      4). He had been working hard that he might succeed.



NOTE ;-- If the Conjunction introducing the Subordinate the Subordinate Clause is lest,
                 the Verb in the Subordinate Clause is always should, whatever may be tense of
                 the Verb in the Principal Clause .