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I have been asking a lot about optional back shifting. I understand that if what is said is still true at the time of reporting then back shifting of tense is optional. I just have one doubt. If what is said is no longer true, then colloquially and conversationally will it be acceptable to avoid back shifting of tense ?

P.S. -- I know while writing it would be wrong to not back shift the tense if what is said is no longer true.

iamRR
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    You will need to set out some examples of what you propose if we are to answer this effectively. – WS2 Jun 22 '15 at 19:32
  • @WS2 -- Sorry for missing out examples. Let's consider "Let's say I'm colloquially narrating a past incident to my friend and it goes like "I met a nice man last year. He told me he lives in India, but when I asked his name he said that he IS busy." Here 'lives' sounds perfectly okay because he supposedly still lives in India but what about 'is' in the sentence 'he is busy'. Is it acceptable to use 'is' colloquially knowing the fact that he is not still busy ? – iamRR Jun 22 '15 at 19:40
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    No, should definitely be was. His being busy is a past condition, unlike lives, which is an ongoing condition. Of course if you happen to know that he has since ceased to live in India, you would say lived. – WS2 Jun 22 '15 at 21:49
  • Can't we use 'is' in colloquial and conversational language ? – iamRR Jun 22 '15 at 22:46
  • Some may, I wouldn't.... – WS2 Jun 22 '15 at 22:54
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    Please, do not keep asking questions in the comment section. Comments are really meant for users to ask the OP questions that help to clarify the question. Sometimes answers can be posted in comments because for example the question is: too basic; off topic; a duplicate; too specific or "localized". – Mari-Lou A Jun 23 '15 at 05:02
  • @WS2 -- What if someone uses present even if what was said is no longer true, will that be acceptable or not ? – iamRR Jun 23 '15 at 21:27
  • I'm closing this as a duplicate of your later question because that one has an answer. Please do not repeat questions: wait for an answer. Or you could offer a bounty to increase its exposure. – Andrew Leach Jun 24 '15 at 09:42

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