"he said he knew" vs "he said he knows"

Question

"he said he knew" vs "he said he knows"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'He said he knew' is used when reporting past events or statements, while 'he said he knows' is used when reporting present events or statements. The choice between 'knew' and 'knows' depends on the tense of the original statement being reported.

Last Updated: March 23, 2024

This phrase is used to report something that was said in the past. 'Knew' is the past tense of 'know'.

Examples:

He said he knew the answer to the question.
She said she knew the truth about the situation.

Alternatives:

He said he had known
He said he had knowledge of

This phrase is used to report something that is being said in the present. 'Knows' is the present tense of 'know'.

Examples:

He said he knows the answer to the question.
She said she knows the truth about the situation.

Alternatives:

He said he knows about
He said he is aware of

Answer 1

he said he knew

This phrase is correct when reporting past events or statements.

Answer 2

he said he knows

This phrase is correct when reporting present events or statements.

"he said he knew" vs "he said he knows"

he said he knew

he said he knows

Related Comparisons