Idioms (Past Tense)
Dear all,
I suppose what I'm about to ask might be more a matter of style than grammar, but I would be grateful to hear from you nonetheless.
When writing in the past tense, do we always also shift idiomatic phrases to the past tense? One example I'm having trouble with is this:
"He was worried that his wife, or ex-wife, that is, would betray his confidence."
"He was worried that his wife, or ex-wife, that was, would betray his confidence."
To my ear there is little doubt that the first sentence sounds better. Does this mean that certain idiomatic phrases might be exempt from any shift to the past tense, even if it is usually required (for non-idiomatic phrases)?
Thanks in advance! 
Top answer
Right, "that is", when used in the sense of "that is to say", is a fixed phrase whose tense does not change. Other idiomatic phrases would need to be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
- Right, "that is", when used in the sense of "that is to say", is a fixed phrase whose tense does not change.
- Other idiomatic phrases would need to be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
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Right, "that is", when used in the sense of "that is to say", is a fixed phrase whose tense does not change. Other idiomatic phrases would need to be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
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