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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Who was it and Who is it
Dear teachers,
Hello!
Would you be so kind to help me understand the difference between
1. Who was it that read my diary while I was out?
2. Who is it that read my diary while I was out?
I think the difference is when you say 1, you are feeling about the fact (that someone has read the diary) as a kind of past thing,
and when you say 2, you are feeling it as more present.
Is this correct?
Warmest regards,
blissfarm
Hello!
Would you be so kind to help me understand the difference between
1. Who was it that read my diary while I was out?
2. Who is it that read my diary while I was out?
I think the difference is when you say 1, you are feeling about the fact (that someone has read the diary) as a kind of past thing,
and when you say 2, you are feeling it as more present.
Is this correct?
Warmest regards,
blissfarm
Top answer
well, to me it looks more like the action of reading has happened in the past, so now you're asking to know who that person was... so i think when you ask " who IS it" that means youre kind of sure that person is present right there or like sitting there, so you just want him/her to confess but "who WAS that" is refering to someone who is not there actually.
- well, to me it looks more like the action of reading has happened in the past, so now you're asking to know who that person was...
- so i think when you ask " who IS it" that means youre kind of sure that person is present right there or like sitting there, so you just want him/her to confess but "who WAS that" is refering to someone who is not there actually.
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4 Answers
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well, to me it looks more like the action of reading has happened in the past, so now you're asking to know who that person was...
so i think when you ask " who IS it" that means youre kind of sure that person is present right there or like sitting there, so you just want him/her to confess
but "who WAS that" is refering to someone who is not there actually.
so i think when you ask " who IS it" that means youre kind of sure that person is present right there or like sitting there, so you just want him/her to confess
but "who WAS that" is refering to someone who is not there actually.
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Hi,
The sentences, you have mentioned both are different in meaning, however your question remains the same.
In the first sentence 'who is it' tells the person who read your diary when you were out, is near you or with you and you want him/her to confess.
While in the other sentence'who was it' is referring to the person who is not actually present right now and you are
The sentences, you have mentioned both are different in meaning, however your question remains the same.
In the first sentence 'who is it' tells the person who read your diary when you were out, is near you or with you and you want him/her to confess.
While in the other sentence'who was it' is referring to the person who is not actually present right now and you are
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Dear Sonia,
Thank you very much for your answer!!
I copy hereunder the reply I made to Nidhi,
because the point I got from you was mainly the same.
And I thank you for your kindness also
because I can become all the more careful about the selection of tense
after reading replies from two persons.
>copy
To me the difference
Thank you very much for your answer!!
I copy hereunder the reply I made to Nidhi,
because the point I got from you was mainly the same.
And I thank you for your kindness also
because I can become all the more careful about the selection of tense
after reading replies from two persons.
>copy
To me the difference
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