High time

Question

I understand “high time” always go with verb of past tense. Am I correct!
Please comment on the grammar of the following sentences! Thanks!

It is high time one did something.
It was high time one did something.
It is high time to do something.
It was high time to do something.

What about just "time" instead of "high time"?

It is time one does something.
It was time one did something.
It is time to do something.
It was time to do something.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

healerI understand “high time” always goes with verb of past tense.

For the majority of speakers, I'd say, although the present tense is heard as well.

healer
It is high time one did something.
It was high time one did something.
It is high time to do something.
It was high time to do something.

The use of "one" makes for highly eccentric English. Say "someone". But the use of the past tense is correct for both of those sentences.

The last two don't work. The infinitive is not at all typical with "high time".

healer
It is time one does something.
It was time one did something.
It is time to do something.
It was time to do something.

Same observation regarding the use of "one". The use of the past tense in the second one is correct. The use of the present tense in the first one is an example of the type I mentioned at the top of my post. Sometimes people do use that pattern. However, it is not usually expected as an answer in an English exam.

The last two show how "time" is different from "high time". Here the infinitive is normal, and that holds no matter what tense the main clause is in, so both of your last two are fine in this set of four.

CJ

High time

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