0
Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Tense question

What's the best ending? I prefer 'is blue', because the fact persists to this day.

In his famous experiment of 1917, scientist Mad Max showed that the sky
a) is blue.
b) was blue.
  

Top answer

Hi, (Not a teacher) We could also say "was blue" if we follow the sequence - of - tense rule and we won't be incorrect. With "was blue" we are taking the listener back in the past (1917). Now , we are just reporting that the sky was blue when he showed it .

— Laborious

  • Hi, (Not a teacher) We could also say "was blue" if we follow the sequence - of - tense rule and we won't be incorrect.
  • With "was blue" we are taking the listener back in the past (1917).
  • Now , we are just reporting that the sky was blue when he showed it .
  • _________ (Just a learner)
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

3 Answers
0
Hi,

(Not a teacher)

We could also say "was blue" if we follow the sequence - of - tense rule and we won't be incorrect. With "was blue" we are taking the listener back in the past (1917). Now, we are just reporting that the sky was blue when he showed it.

_________

(Just a learner)
0
0
Anonymous What's the best ending? I prefer 'is blue', because the fact persists to this day.In his famous experiment of 1917, scientist Mad Max showed that the sky a) is blue. b) was blue.
The general rule is that back-shifting is always correct and that widely known facts need not be back-shifted, so both choices are fine.

CJ
0
0
I'd tend to agree with CJ on this one. Both are correct depending on your philosophical standpoint on science. Once again back to meaning and interpretation rather than grammar.
0

Related Questions