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1 she said, "I must have a computer to prepare a power point presentation."

Ans 1: She said that she had to have a computer to prepare a power point presentation. (My answer)

Ans 2: She said that she should have a computer to prepare a power point presentation. (Book)

I read a rule saying "must" remain same or change into "had to" or "would have to". Then why book has changed "must" into "should".

  1. Do we change adverb like "tomorrow", "ago" when tense of reporting verb is in present or future?

Example :

1 He says, " I will go Delhi tomorrow."

Ans1 :He says that he will go Delhi tomorrow (or the next day).

  1. He says, " I will have to complete my project by this morning.

Ans1 : He says that he will have to complete his project by this morning (or that morning).

Thank you

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1:

Must is a somewhat strong word that means required, non-optional or mandatory. If you enter a room saying "I must have a chair" you will come of as demanding. So if you are telling unfamiliar people that you "must" have something, you risk sounding impolite.

Had to is a bit softer and somewhat more polite, and should - while should means recommended but optional - is even more polite.

But I'm not familiar with any rule like this as a native speaker at all.

2:

Do we change adverb like "tomorrow", "ago" when tense of reporting verb is in present or future?

If you are reporting on what someone else has said, words like tomorrow or ago don't change, but the tenses need to make sense.

He says that he will go to Delhi tomorrow or the next day.

This is fine, you are reporting what he says.

He says that he will have to complete his project by this morning.

This only makes sense if it's currently e.g. 1 AM of the same day (after midnight but not yet morning) and "this morning" is in the future. Likely you mean this:

He said { past tense } that he will have to complete his project by this morning.

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  • So what you suggest which one is better "had to" or "should" for my question? As you say should is used for recommendation, So I think there is no recommendation (in #1). for my second question ( He says, " I will go Delhi tomorrow.") I didn't understand, are you saying both "tomorrow" and "the next day" correct or something else?
    – starun008
    Commented Oct 21, 2015 at 19:20
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I think ..... Modals fairly represent the mood of speaker. Change of must in indirect speech as had to / should have all depends on how you have taken or noticed the notion of the speaker.

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  • It would be a better answer if sources are provided.
    – shin
    Commented Feb 16, 2018 at 5:43

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