was/is

Question

(1) That is the reason they worked so hard.(2) That was the reason they worked so hard.Are they both correct? If correct, do they have exactly the same meaning?

Inchoateknowledge · Accepted Answer

both

Marius Hancu · Answer

Initially, I thought both are correct.

However, now I think only 2 is fine, as a reason must causally (and temporarily) precede the resulting action.

1 should be changed to:
(1) That is the reason they've been working so hard.
if you want the make it still valid in the present.

Ruslana · Answer

Marius HancuHowever, now I think only 2 is fine, as a reason must causally (and temporarily) precede the resulting action.

I think both are fine. A reason may be still valid.

Inchoateknowledge · Answer

We think the same way in Hungarian, I think.

In Hungarian, both would be fine.

Pandoraa · Answer

If the reason is present # 1, if in the past # 2 therefore I believe both can be used..

BarbaraPA · Answer

Ruslana
Marius HancuHowever, now I think only 2 is fine, as a reason must causally (and temporarily) precede the resulting action.
I think both are fine. A reason may be still valid.

I agree.

Marius Hancu · Answer

Of course, the reason may still be valid, but IMO, a writer would have no interest in reporting that, when mentioning worked:

(1) That is the reason they worked so hard.

He/she is interested in reporting the past in this context.

BarbaraPA · Answer

No, I disagree. The work may be over, but the reason may still exist.

For example, your know your friend and his wife worked feverishly in the house and in the yard all weekend, but since they are not usually the type to do this, you are surprised. Another friend tells you that this coming Thursday her mother is planning a visit, and this will be the first time she will have seen their new home. "Ah," you say, "that is the reason they worked so hard."

The work is done. The actually "reason" has not yet come to pass.

CalifJim · Answer

Even if that planned event has already come to pass, the reason for doing the preparation is still the same reason.

He wanted to finance an expedition to the New World.
That's the reason that Columbus asked Queen Isabella for money.
What is the reason why Columbus asked Isabella for money?
The reason is that ... (It's still known to be the reason.)

(Also was instead of is above.)

That is / That's seems to be allowed to introduce all sorts of circumstances surrounding an event. A change to That was or That will be, or in general, the matching of tenses, doesn't seem to be necessary.

That's why we bought the house.
That's when they will find out.
That's how we got away with it.
That's the way he wrote the ending.
That's when Jerry decided not to go along with the joke.
That's where the first battle of the Civil War was fought.
That's who will win the election.
That's what bothered me the most about it.
That's the place where the concert should be held.
That's the reason Charles called you yesterday.

If the verb tense after That always had to match the tense in the rest of the sentence, we'd end up with strange things like:

That should have been the way he should have written the final paragraph.
That would have been the location where I would have seen him last.
That will have been how far he will have driven by sunset.

CJ

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