Use of have

Question

Should (have) be used here or not?He was one of the best students I (have) taught.I think it should not because it is in the past, he 'was'. Am I correct?

GPY · Accepted Answer

He was one of the best students I taught.
This is talking about a period in the past that has now ended (e.g. you no longer teach at that place, or at all).

He was one of the best students I have taught.
This refers to the period stretching up to the present.

Anonymous · Answer

GPYHe was one of the best students I have taught.

Thanks. Doesn't 'was' coney that that student was one of the best before but no longer now as their may be some other student that are better than him presently?

I thought that the sentence with 'have' was possible if 'is' were used instead of 'was', e.g he is one of the best students I have taught.

Or am I mistaken and have is possible with both 'was' and 'is' in that sentence?

GPY · Answer

AnonymousThanks. Doesn't 'was' coney that that student was one of the best before but no longer now as their may be some other student that are better than him presently?

That is not an interpretation that readily occurs to me.

AnonymousI thought that the sentence with 'have' was possible if 'is' were used instead of 'was', e.g he is one of the best students I have taught.

"is" and "was" are both possible in that sentence. "was" suggests that you no longer teach him, and that your contact with him or knowledge of him was in the past. "is" suggests that your contact with him or knowledge of him is in the present, typically because you still teach him.

Use of have

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