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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

What happene is/was

Are both of these correct? What do I use 'was' vs. 'is' ?

1. What happend was she bumped your car when she was trying to back out.

2. What happend is she bumped your car when she was trying to back out.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Yes Both those phrases are correct, and you can use either and both will be fully understood. Leon

— Anonymous

  • Yes Both those phrases are correct, and you can use either and both will be fully understood.
  • Leon
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2 Answers
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Yes

Both those phrases are correct, and you can use either and both will be fully understood.

Leon
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Both are correct. Either "is" or "was" establishes an equality between the two sides of your "equation". The equality is "outside of time", so to speak, so the choice between "is" and "was" is entirely stylistic, not grammatical. My preference is to match the tense of the equality with the tenses in the content clauses, so I would use "was". But be aware that this is just a personal pref
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