Exercises C1 : Advanced tense agreement in English (answers)

These exercises are based on the course’s focus on tense agreement and backshifting in English, drawing on parallels with French to deepen your command of complex sentence structures at C1 level.

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Exercice 1 — Backshifting in Reported Speech

Fill in each blank with the correct backshifted verb form, as required by the sequence of tenses in reported speech.

1. She told me that she ___ (finish) the report before the deadline and that she ___ (send) it the following morning.
2. He admitted that he ___ (not understand) the instructions when they ___ (be) first explained to him.
3. They announced that the project ___ (be) delayed because the funding ___ (not yet be) approved.
4. The professor explained that tense agreement in English ___ (follow) rules very similar to those that students ___ (already study) in French.

Correction

1. She told me that she had finished the report before the deadline and that she would send it the following morning.
2. He admitted that he had not understood the instructions when they had first been explained to him.
3. They announced that the project would be delayed because the funding had not yet been approved.
4. The professor explained that tense agreement in English followed rules very similar to those that students had already studied in French.

Exercice 2 — Direct to Indirect Speech: Applying Tense Agreement

Transform each sentence from direct speech into reported speech, applying the correct sequence of tenses and any necessary changes to pronouns or time expressions.

1. "I have already mastered backshifting and I will practise it again tomorrow," she said.
2. "We are working on a complex sentence right now and we haven't finished yet," they told the tutor.
3. "The rules are very similar to French, so learners can use their knowledge of French to understand tense agreement," the instructor said.
4. "I will have completed all the exercises by the time the session ends," the student promised.

Correction

1. She said that she had already mastered backshifting and that she would practise it again the following day.
2. They told the tutor that they were working on a complex sentence at that moment and that they hadn't finished yet.
3. The instructor said that the rules were very similar to French, so learners could use their knowledge of French to understand tense agreement.
4. The student promised that he would have completed all the exercises by the time the session ended.

Exercice 3 — Spot and Correct the Tense Agreement Errors

Each sentence contains one error in tense agreement or backshifting. Identify the error and rewrite the sentence correctly in full.

1. The teacher explained that English tense agreement follows rules very similar to French, and that C1 learners can use this advantage to master backshifting.
2. She reported that the students have struggled with the sequence of tenses before they read the course material.
3. He told us that he is going to review the section on backshifting the previous evening, but he didn't have time.
4. They confirmed that tense agreement in complex sentences will be covered and that learners already studied similar rules in French.

Correction

1. The teacher explained that English tense agreement followed rules very similar to French, and that C1 learners could use this advantage to master backshifting.
2. She reported that the students had struggled with the sequence of tenses before they had read the course material.
3. He told us that he had been going to review the section on backshifting the previous evening, but he hadn't had time.
4. They confirmed that tense agreement in complex sentences would be covered and that learners had already studied similar rules in French.