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Ryan Posted 23 years ago
Grammar
Was/is
Dear all,
Which of each pair of the following sentences are correct as to the use of 'is' or 'was'? Do the sentences in each pair differ in meaning if both are correct?
A. What is the name of the horse that won the race?
B. What was the name of the horse that won the race?
A. Alexander Bell is the man who invented the telephone.
B. Alexander Bell was the man who invented the telephone.
A. Margaret Thatcher is the first woman prime minister in the UK.
A. Margaret Thatcher was the first woman prime minister in the UK.
A. Bill Clinton is a former President of the US.
B. Bill Clinton was a former President of the US.
A. This is the knife which was used to kill the victim.
B. This was the knife which was used to kill the victim.
Ryan
Which of each pair of the following sentences are correct as to the use of 'is' or 'was'? Do the sentences in each pair differ in meaning if both are correct?
A. What is the name of the horse that won the race?
B. What was the name of the horse that won the race?
A. Alexander Bell is the man who invented the telephone.
B. Alexander Bell was the man who invented the telephone.
A. Margaret Thatcher is the first woman prime minister in the UK.
A. Margaret Thatcher was the first woman prime minister in the UK.
A. Bill Clinton is a former President of the US.
B. Bill Clinton was a former President of the US.
A. This is the knife which was used to kill the victim.
B. This was the knife which was used to kill the victim.
Ryan
Top answer
Emphasis perhaps? Check this: A: Marconi invented the telephone. B: No.
- Emphasis perhaps?
- Check this: A: Marconi invented the telephone.
- B: No.
- Bell was the man who invented the telephone.
- A: Oh, okay.
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1 Answers
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Emphasis perhaps? Check this:
A: Marconi invented the telephone.
B: No. Bell was the man who invented the telephone.
A: Oh, okay. So Bell is the man who invented the phone.
I think the emphasis lies on the telephone when you say "Bell was the man who invented the phone". If you choose the present tense, the emphasis lies on Bell instead. Intonation matters as
A: Marconi invented the telephone.
B: No. Bell was the man who invented the telephone.
A: Oh, okay. So Bell is the man who invented the phone.
I think the emphasis lies on the telephone when you say "Bell was the man who invented the phone". If you choose the present tense, the emphasis lies on Bell instead. Intonation matters as
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