“My father will be here tomorrow.”“Oh, I thought that he ____ today.”
A. was coming B. is coming C. will come D. comes(TOEFL)
书上给的答案是 A(was coming)。但我认为，B(is coming)也是正确的。
考生应牢记，许多英语测试专家仍然要求考生严格遵守时态呼应的原则。按照时态呼应原则，在间接引语中应将直接引语中的一般现在时前移为一般过去时，将一般将来时前移为过去将来时，将一般过去时前移为过去完成时，而将现在进行时前移为过去进行时，依此类推。因此，上面的试题应选A(was coming)。
英语教师应注意英语惯用法的变化趋势:不仅在口语中,而且在书面语中,人们日益摆脱时态呼应原则的束缚而根据实际需要来采用动词的时态:
-
I heard her say that she is studying Business Administration. (CGEL) 我听到她说她正在学商业管理。
-
It was told yesterday that the company ____ me there next week for a business conference.
A. shall have sent B. are going to send
C. shall be sending D. shall send(Nelson, 250A)
还应指出，在间接引语中遵守时态呼应原则与摆脱时态呼应原则，常常会引起句意上的差别。
请比较下列各组句中(a)句与(b)句的句意：
(a) Their teacher had told them that the earth moves around the sun.
(间接引语表示永恒的真理)
(b) The ancients thought that the sun moved around the earth.
（说话人认为间接引语中的论点是错误的，现在人们已不再持有这种观点了）
(a) Sam told me that he was an American citizen.
(也许 Sam 现在已改变了国籍)
(b) Sam told me last night that he is now an American citizen.
(现在 Sam 仍是美国国籍)
(a) Socrates said that nothing could harm a good man.
(认为苏格拉底的话只适用于过去)
(b) Socrates said that nothing can harm a good man.
（认为苏格拉底的话是一条普遍的规律，对于今天也是适用的）
(a) The waiter told me that lunch is now being served.
(间接引语中的话仍有效)
(b) The waiter told me that lunch was then being served.
（服务员的话是在以前讲的，因而间接引语中的话已无效）