1) They expect the amount of work will be too much, so they have decided to decrease it. （正）

2) They expected the amount of work would be too much, so they have decided to decrease it. （误）

3) They expected the amount of work would be too much, so they decided to decrease it. （正）

4) They expected the amount of work will be too much, so they decide to decrease it. （误）

【注意】时态直接影响句意，影响分句之间的逻辑关系，时态错了，两个事件之间的逻辑关系就讲不通。所以，时态要做到呼应和一致！

对初学者而言，必须掌握的8种基本时态：

（现在时间范畴）     （过去时间范畴）

【一般现在时】        【一般过去时】

【现在进行时】        【过去进行时】

【现在完成时】        【过去完成时】

【一般将来时】        【过去将来时】

1. 关于时态的时间范畴问题

(1) 属于现在时间范畴的时态：一般现在时，现在进行时，现在完成时，一般将来时。

这4种时态表达的概念与现在时间有关。

(2) 属于过去时间范畴的时态：一般过去时，过去进行时，过去完成时，过去将来时。

这4种时态表达的概念与过去时间有关。

2. 关于时态的呼应：

(1) 原则上讲，如果是“并列句”，两个并列分句在时态上要取得一致：主句是现在时间范畴的时态，从句也要是现在时间范畴的时态。主句是过去时间范畴的时态，从句也要是过去时间范畴的时态。

例句就像你上面的两个正确例句:

They expect the amount of work will be too much, so they have decided to decrease it. （正）

They expected the amount of work would be too much, so they decided to decrease it. （正）

(2) 原则上讲，如果是“主句 + 状语从句”，主句和状语从句在时态上也要取得一致：主句是现在时间范畴的时态，从句也要是现在时间范畴的时态。主句是过去时间范畴的时态，从句也要是过去时间范畴的时态。

例句：

If you study hard, you will make progress.

Tom saw a girl come to him when he was sitting there. 汤姆正坐在那儿时，看见一个女孩向他走来。

(3) 在含有名词性从句的复合句中，如果主句谓语动词是过去时间范畴的时态，那么从句的时态也要用过去时间的时态。例如：

He said he understood it. 他说他懂了。

She wasn’t sure whether you were watching TV. 她不敢肯定你是否在看电视。

He told me he had graduated from middle school two years before. 他告诉我他两年前就中学毕业了。

The boy said he would do anything for his own country. 小孩说他为自己的祖国愿做任何事。

在含有名词性从句的复合句中，当主句的谓语动词是现在时间范畴的时态，从句的时态可以根据情况，不受限制。例如：

I think I was very lucky to get that job. 我想我很幸运得到这件工作。

We wonder who built that old bridge. 我们不知道是谁建造的那座古桥。

I remember that she was crying when I got home. 我记得当我回家时她正在哭。

You will notice that this word has several meanings. 你会注意到那个单词有几种意义。

I have known that she will regret for her mistake. 我已经知道她将为她的错误而后悔。

（4）在含有定语从句的复合句中，“时态呼应”规则，与含有名词性从句的复合句相同。

This is the house which was built by my grandfather.

This is the house which will be completed next month.

This is the house which is thought the best in the village.

【8种时态用于同一篇短文】（请找出）

I got a letter from my sister yesterday. She lives in a foreign country. In her letter, she said that she would come to China next year. If she comes, she will get a surprise. We are living in a beautiful new house now. The building work on it had begun before my sister left. The house was completed almost a year ago. It has been the only modern house in this area ever since.

I still remember that so many of us were living in a very small house when my sister left home. But now the new house has many large rooms and there is a lovely garden. Though it looks strange to some people, it is really very comfortable.