past and present tense

Hi B

A phenomenon called the sequence of tenses sometimes makes English a little inexact. Both your sentences are correct but there is a strong tendency to say was even if you are currently majoring in biology.

CB

Boyonfire"You didn't know I was majoring in Biology?" If I am still currently majoring in biology, could I say this? Or should I say, "You didn't know I am majoring in Biology?"

Thanks

If it is a universal truth, then 'is' is certainly the correct verb.

For example, "The teacher s

Hi,
I thought you might want to have a look at this post. Even though the fact (in your case, majoring; in the example I am posting below, having a brother) holds true, since you used "You didn't know" (which is in the past), past simple is always correct and, as Cool Breeze says, much more common.
This doesn't mean that present simple is wrong, mind.

Clive..

Boyonfire"You didn't know I was majoring in Biology?"

That sentence is completely natural. I would expect native speakers to use was more often than am in that particular sentence even if 'majoring in biology' is currently true.

"You didn't know I was majoring in Biology?"

Since this doesn't tell the person you're talking to if I was majoring in Biology in a time ago (eg. last week) or currently still am, how would you tell the person that you are still currently majoring in Biology and keep the question beginning with "You didn't know.."?

Thanks again

Hi Boyonfire

Based on the way that question is phrased, my automatic assumption would be that "majoring in biology" is current. However, the broader context (the previous conversation) would most likely also make the time of "majoring in biology" clear.