Home → English → Verbs - Shortcut Rules - Part 2

Verbs - Shortcut Rules - Part 2

Shortcut Rule 11 : When the subordinate clause expresses a universal truth the past tense in the main clause may be followed by a Present Tense.

He said that the sun rose in the East. ☓
He said that the sun rises in the East. ✔

Shortcut Rule 12 : The Past Tense in the main clause may be followed by any tense after the conjunction "Than" in the subordinate clause.

He worked faster than we do / did. ✔

Shortcut Rule 13 : In Conditional Sentences, to express improbability in the Present, the Simple Past Tense in the if clause and the Present Conditional Tense in the main clause are used.

If I am the Principal, I would Punish Him. ☓
If I were the Principal, I would Punish Him. ✔

If he is rich, he would buy a car. ☓
If he were rich, He would buy a car. ✔

Shortcut Rule 14 : To express unfulfilled condition in the Past, we should express with "Past Perfect Tense" in the if clause and Perfect Conditional Tense in the Main Clause.

If you worked hard, you would have passed in the examination. ☓
If you had worked hard, you would have passed in the examination. ✔

Shortcut Rule 15 : For the interrogative sentences that begin with auxiliary verbs, "if or whether as a connective word in indirect speech.

He said to me, "Are you going there?" ☓
He asked me if I was going there. ✔
He asked me that I was going there ✔

"Are they ready or not?" she said to me. ☓
She asked me whether they were ready. ✔
She asked me that they were ready or not. ✔

Shortcut Rule 16 : No other conjunction should be used as a connective word, in indirect speech when the question indirect speech begins with "Why (or) How" question words.

He asked me that who my best friend was. ☓
He asked me who my best friend was. ✔

He asked me that How I got time to write all posts in my Blog. ☓
He asked me how I got time to write all posts in my Blog. ✔

Shortcut Rule 17 : No preposition is used after the verb "told"

He told me that he passed the examination. ☓
He told me that he had passed the examination. ✔

Shortcut Rule 18 : The question forms in direct speech should be changed to affirmative sentences in indirect speech.

The receptionist asked me who do I want to meet in the office. ☓
The receptionist asked me whom I wanted to meet in the office. ✔

Shortcut Rule 19 : The verb "Suggest" purpose in indirect speech should be followed by "that clause" with the auxiliary verb "should"

He suggested me to go for a walk every morning. ☓
He suggested to me that I should go for a walk every morning. ✔

Shortcut Rule 20 : In the absence of an indirect object after "suggest" a gerund form is used.

He suggested going for a walk every morning. ✔

Shortcut Rule 21 : The verb "Tell" should be sued with an object.

He told that he had passed in the test. ☓
He said that he had passed in the test (OR) ✔
He told me that he had passed in the Test. ✔