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He gave me his room number just in case I change my mind.

Why doesn't the rule of sequence tenses use in this sentence?

PS At the same time, why is it written as "room number" instead of "room's number"/"number of his room"?

xyz
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1 Answers1

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There is a mix of tenses because, evidently, the first person is speaking in the present but the room number was received by them in the past. In other words, the person is already in possession of the room number, and they may yet change their mind.

If the first person was telling a story that occurred entirely in the past, then they would put the entire sentence in the past tense:

He gave me his room number just in case I changed my mind.

This would be appropriate if there was no longer any opportunity for the first person to change their mind.

"Room number" is idiomatic, just like "telephone number", as opposed to "my telephone's number". It is the number of the room.

Astralbee
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    I am very grateful to you. Now I am surprised at myself why I didn't think it about – xyz Nov 13 '19 at 10:27
  • But in the next sentences this reasoning doesn't apply, does it?: "When did you find out that he is ill?" -- wrong in any context? "When did you find out that he has been ill?" -- wrong in any context? – xyz Nov 13 '19 at 10:45
  • @xyz Can I find no fault with either of your examples. In an appropriate context, they are both perfectly grammatical. – Ronald Sole Nov 13 '19 at 10:54
  • @xyz Is this a new question? Both your examples seem fine. Saying someone "has been" ill is referring to the past *up until now*. They might *still be ill*. For example, "*I have been a parent for 5 years*" is correct, even though you never stop being a parent! – Astralbee Nov 13 '19 at 10:57
  • It is a new question, but possibly have an old answer :) . I thought that the rule of sequence tenses forbids us to write in that way – xyz Nov 13 '19 at 11:03