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PiT Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

We are/were supposed to start work at ...

Hi!

I have a question about following sentence:

We are supposed to start work at 8.15 but we rarely do anything before 8.30.

Can we change are supposed to were supposed? How will the meaning of the sentence change then?
  

Top answer

"are supposed to" means you still work there and it is still the expectation that you start at 8:15 "were supposed to" means that expectation is no longer applicable to you. Either you no longer work there, or the changed the start time. 30.

— BarbaraPA

  • "are supposed to" means you still work there and it is still the expectation that you start at 8:15 "were supposed to" means that expectation is no longer applicable to you.
  • Either you no longer work there, or the changed the start time.
  • 30.
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4 Answers
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"are supposed to" means you still work there and it is still the expectation that you start at 8:15

"were supposed to" means that expectation is no longer applicable to you. Either you no longer work there, or the changed the start time. Further, if you used "were," then the "do" must become "did." We were supposed to start work at 8.15 but we rarely did anything before 8.30
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PiTHi!

I have a question about following sentence:

We are supposed to start work at 8.15 but we rarely do anything before 8.30.

Can we change are supposed to were supposed? How will the meaning of the sentence change then?
Is supposed to -- general statement made at present. Was supposed to -- present state
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Yes; "We are supposed to start work" means that, every day, you should start work at 8.15.

MrP
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I see. Now it's clear for me. Thanks Emotion: smile
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