say/said

[elle99]

Hello,
Which of the following is the correct sentence?

What is the brand of juice that you say is nice?
What is the brand of juice that you said is nice?

Thank you in advance
Elle

 

[dwipper]

Either one is correct (with one addition).

What is the brand of juice that you say is nice?
What is the brand of juice that you said was/is nice?

However, the second option sounds much better with the verb 'to say.' If you used 'to think' instead, you would probably say "What is the brand of juice that you think is nice?" not "What is the brand of juice that you thought is nice?"

 

[emma42]

They are both correct.

What is the brand of juice (that) you say is nice = what is the brand of juice that you often say is nice.

What is the brand of juice (that) you said was nice = what is the brand of juice that you said, on a particular day, was nice.

Sorry, I have just noticed that I have changed one of your "is"s to a "was".

 

[elroy]

Sorry, I have just noticed that I have changed one of your "is"s to a "was".

Indeed - I cannot imagine myself saying "is" in sentence 2. "Was" naturally rolls off my tongue after "said," despite the fact that presumably the person still believes the particular brand of juice is nice (American English "good"). I can't say whether sentence 2 is incorrect, but to me it is at least unnatural.

 

[emma42]

Sentence 2 doesn't sound unnatural to me. I can easily imagine walking around a supermarket with a friend, looking at the different fruit juices and, unable to decide and remembering that she had been effusive about one particular brand the previous week, asking her, "What's the brand of juice you said was nice?"

 

[elroy]

Sentence 2 doesn't sound unnatural to me. I can easily imagine walking around a supermarket with a friend, looking at the different fruit juices and, unable to decide and remembering that she had been effusive about one particular brand the previous week, asking her, "What's the brand of juice you said was nice?"

I was referring to Elle's sentence 2.

I agree with you, of course, about the version with "was" - as per my previous post.

 

[emma42]

Oh my, the speed! Sorry for the misunderstanding, Elroy.

 

[Txiri]

Elroy is correct on the grammar, nonetheless, speakers defy correct grammar in speech, frequently