Were or are..

Question

Hello, and thank you in advance.I was just saying to a friend 'The reason I didn't understand was becuase I didn't realise suffice and sufficient were related'Now I'm completely confused- should it be:1. 'The reason I didn't understand was becuase I didn't realise suffice and sufficient were related'.or2.'The reason I didn't understand was becuase I didn't realise suffice and sufficient are related'.To me, using 'were' makes it sound like they were related in the past, but not any more. Using 'are' makes it sound like they are still related. Also, using 'are' just doesn't roll off my tongue naturally which has made me question it.Thank you for any help given.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I was just saying to a friend 'The reason I didn't understand was because I didn't realise 'suffice' and 'fficient' were related'

Now I'm completely confused- should it be:

1. 'The reason I didn't understand was becuase I didn't realise suffice and sufficient were related'.

or

2.'The reason I didn't understand was becuase I didn't realise suffice and sufficient are related'.

To me, using 'were' makes it sound like they were related in the past, but not any more. A native speaker would not think that way.

Using 'are' makes it sound like they are still related. Also, using 'are' just doesn't roll off my tongue naturally which has made me question it.

You can say it both ways.

#1 shows that the speaker is thinking very much of the whole incident as being in the past.

#2 stresses more the 'universal truth' of the relationship betwen the two words, a little as if the speaker thinks that the present listener may not know this fact.

I think #2 is more common, at least in an example like this.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousTo me, using 'were' makes it sound like they were related in the past, but not any more. Using 'are' makes it sound like they are still related.

No. That's nonsense. were is used just to match the past tense of the other verbs. It doesn't imply that the relationship no longer exists.

It's "The reason is that ...", not "The reason is because ...", so you need this:

The reason I didn't understand was that I didn't realise "suffice" and "sufficient" were related.

If you want, you can use the present in two places (either or both):

The reason I didn't understand is that I didn't realise "suffice" and "sufficient" are related.

CJ

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