ensure with futute

Question

HiPlease tell me whether this is correct.She must ensure that all will attend this meeting.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Yes, that sentence is fine, though we might also use this:

She must ensure that all attend this meeting.

Vsuresh · Answer

Thank you, Sir.

Suresh

Anonymous · Answer

Question:

Does this also apply to past tense? That is:

To ensure the tool is easy to use, he designed it with great care.

Or should it always be past tense in the case after ensure? That is:

To ensure the tool was easy to use, he designed it with great care.

Thanks!
Philip

Mister Micawber · Answer

AnonymousTo ensure the tool is easy to use, he designed it with great care.

That is fine if the tool still exists.

Tsailipu · Answer

Thanks.

So if the paragraph is talking more in past tense: for example:

Based on his observations, he concluded that the team needed a new tool.

There were two primary objectives for this new tool. First, it needed to be robust. Second, it needed to be simple to use.
To ensure the tool is robust, he designed it .... To ensure the tool is easy to use, he designed it with great care.

Though the tool may still exist, would it be odd to have the present tense after ensure? Or in this case, you would say the tense right after ensure should be past tense, too? Or, like you were saying, if the tool still exists, it's fine even mixing in the present tense in the context of this paragraph? (Or you would say, this second paragraph should all switch to present tense, despite that the design and considerations happen in the past?)

Thanks!

Mister Micawber · Answer

Switching tenses is in itself poor form.  Use past tense there.

ensure with futute

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions