Subject - "verb to be" tenses when quoted
Could I have the grammar of the following sentences commented please especially in terms of the verb-to-be of the subject used? Thanks!
Should I have the underlined verb-to-be changed to “was” even though the status of the person in question would still be the same when it is spoken regardless? The status of teacher might have changed though. What if the teacher is still working in the same school and what if the teacher no longer works there when the sentence is spoken?
A man who is a native Japanese translated what was said into English for me.
A man who was a native Japanese translated what was said into English for me.
A man who is a native Japanese said this.
A man who was a native Japanese said this.
The woman who is a teacher in the same school helped the school children to safety.
The woman who was a teacher in the same school helped the school children to safety.
The woman who is their mother helped the children cross the road.
The woman who was their mother helped the children cross the road.
Top answer
We most often use the past tense in a relative clause like that when the main clause is in the past, but in your sentences the present tense is also OK. Personally, I would use the present only if the action in the main clause happened very recently (yesterday, earlier this week). In most cases I would use the past (three months ago, five years ago).
- We most often use the past tense in a relative clause like that when the main clause is in the past, but in your sentences the present tense is also OK.
- Personally, I would use the present only if the action in the main clause happened very recently (yesterday, earlier this week).
- In most cases I would use the past (three months ago, five years ago).
- CJ
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We most often use the past tense in a relative clause like that when the main clause is in the past, but in your sentences the present tense is also OK.
Personally, I would use the present only if the action in the main clause happened very recently (yesterday, earlier this week). In most cases I would use the past (three months ago, five years ago).
CJ
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