宾语从句的时态呼应
主句是过去时时，从句的时态要相应往后退一格。
He said he was busy.
要点
- 主句过去时：一般现在→一般过去，一般过去→过去完成，一般将来→过去将来。
- 从句说的是客观真理时，仍然用一般现在时。
- 从句带具体的过去时间状语时，常用一般过去时。
- 主句是现在时或将来时，从句该用什么时态就用什么时态。
- 直接引语转成间接的要一起改三样：时态退格、人称跟着变、时间地点词换成过去那一套（tomorrow→the next day）—— 少改一样就不算转完，逐条细则在「引语与其他从句」那一类。
- 从句讲的是过去的具体事实、又带着过去时间状语时，不必再退到过去完成：He said he was born in 1990.（不写 had been born）。
- 时态呼应只改从句的谓语：从句里的名词、介词短语一概不动 —— 时间词那笔账与动词那笔账分开算。
例句
He said he was busy at that time.
他说他那时很忙。
She told me she had finished the work.
她告诉我她已经完成了工作。
He said he would come the next day.
他说他第二天会来。
The teacher said the earth moves around the sun.
老师说地球绕着太阳转。
He said he had been to the Great Wall twice.
他说过他去过长城两次。
She told me she would call after lunch.
她跟我说午饭后打来。
易错提示
- 客观真理不退时态，这是常考的例外。
- 「退一格」只在主句是过去时才发生。
- say 与 tell 都能带 that 从句，但 tell 后面要先给人：She told me she had finished the work. —— 别说 said me，这一处比退时态更容易写错。
- 虚拟那一路不按"退一格"算：If I had his number 里的过去式表的是假设，不是转述 —— 判它先看这句话是不是在说"当时真的如此"。