Tenses
Tenses
(OP)
I have a problem about what tense should be used.
For example, When I went through “Student Handbook”, I found that all students (are/were) not allowed to play in classrooms. My problem is that if I want to keep the tenses consistent, I may need to use “were”; however, this rule was true in the past, is correct at present and will be applicable to all students in the future.
When I was very young, my English teacher told me “Present tense should be used for a universal truth” What are your opinions?
For example, When I went through “Student Handbook”, I found that all students (are/were) not allowed to play in classrooms. My problem is that if I want to keep the tenses consistent, I may need to use “were”; however, this rule was true in the past, is correct at present and will be applicable to all students in the future.
When I was very young, my English teacher told me “Present tense should be used for a universal truth” What are your opinions?





RE: Tenses
DaveAtkins
RE: Tenses
RE: Tenses
you previously WENT through the handbook and discovered that all students, ARE not allowed...
That makes perfect sense to me - IF, the student handbook is currently applicable to the students.
Now here's a situation where the opposite would be true:
I WENT through the Student Handbook of 1944, and found that students WERE not allowed to play....
If you are describing a current condition - use are. If you are describing a past condition, use WERE.