【问】 (1)“Joan is taking a month’s vacation in June.”“That’s nice. Did she say where____?”
 A. is she going B. she goes
 C. she is going D. will she go(TOEFL，74.9)
 (2)“Sarah left for Ohio this morning.”“Oh，I thought she____until next week. ”
 A. won’t be going B. isn’t going
 C. wasn’t going D. hadn’t been going(TOEFL，70.3)
 试题(1)要求选she is going(C)，而试题(2)要求选wasn’t going(C)。这两个答案似乎有矛盾。试题(2)要求时态呼应，即间接引语中的动词时态必须前移(backshift)。而试题(1)不要求时态呼应，即间接引语中的动词时态不用向前移，这究竟是怎么回事呢?
 【答】 按传统语法的规定，当主句动词用过去时，间接引语中的动词时态必须向前移，即把直接引语中的现在时改为过去时，而把过去时改为过去完成时，或把现在完成时改为过去完成时。但是，现代英语的实际使用情况却并不是如此简单，而表现出极大的随意性。
 A：Did you say you have/had no money?
 B：Yes，I’m completely broke.
 A：How did you know that I am/was Max Wilson?
 B：Well，I remembered that you are/were tall，and wear/wore glasses. (CGEL)
 当托福测试专家们按照他们自己的语感来写作的时候，就会表现出这种随意性。试题
 (1 )便是一例，下面还有更多的实例：
 1. Professor Datilla just announced that he will give us a test this afternoon. “That’s notfair. How much time____for us to study?”(答案为 will there be)(TOEFL，72.10)
 2. 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)(答案为B)
 但是，当他们按传统语法的规则来考学生的时候，便严格要求学生遵循时态呼应原则。上面的试题(2)便是一例，下面还有更多的实例：
 1. “My father will be here tomorrow. ”“Oh，I thought that he____ today. ”
 A. was coming B. is coming
 C. will come D. comes (TOEFL，71.3)(答案为A)
 2. Public Openion Magazine reported that 57 percent of all Americans strongly believethat mothers with young children should not work outside of the home unless theirfamilies badly needed the extra income. (试题要求将believe 改为 believed)
 (参见indirect speech)