Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[b7lake]

The researchers said the discovery is providing new information.

Is this sentence correct?

[Mister Micawber]

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Yes, it is.
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_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[b7lake]

The researchers said the discovery is providing new information.

In the above sentence, I think "was" should be used instead of "is".

Am I wrong?

[Mister Micawber]

.
Not wrong. When the event referred to (providing information) is still in the present at the time of the sentence, the writer has the choice of past (to regress with the reported speech) or present (to agree with the present situation).

Pythagoras said that the earth was round.
Pythagoras said that the earth is round.

Since the earth is still round, both sentences are acceptable. Compare this with:

Pythagoras said that he had a stomachache.
(X) Pythagoras said that he has a stomacheache.

Here, only the first is true, since his stomacheache, as well as Pythagoras himself, is gone.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[b7lake]

Thanks a lot for your help.