is or was usage in a sentence
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I posted "today is the best day ever" and my friend said it's suppose to be "today was the best day ever". I said the day isn't over yet, so it's not past tense. any supporting ideas to say who is correct ? thanks in advance
grammaticality
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
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bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 47 mins ago
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I posted "today is the best day ever" and my friend said it's suppose to be "today was the best day ever". I said the day isn't over yet, so it's not past tense. any supporting ideas to say who is correct ? thanks in advance
grammaticality
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
111
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 47 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
It could be construed since most of the day had already passed that it was in the past. But that would be a matter of opinion, and relative, less of grammar
– Tom J Nowell
Nov 11 at 3:16
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up vote
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down vote
favorite
I posted "today is the best day ever" and my friend said it's suppose to be "today was the best day ever". I said the day isn't over yet, so it's not past tense. any supporting ideas to say who is correct ? thanks in advance
grammaticality
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
111
I posted "today is the best day ever" and my friend said it's suppose to be "today was the best day ever". I said the day isn't over yet, so it's not past tense. any supporting ideas to say who is correct ? thanks in advance
grammaticality
grammaticality
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
111
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
111
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
111
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
111
asked Nov 11 at 3:06
Mathson Lee
111
111
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 47 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 47 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
It could be construed since most of the day had already passed that it was in the past. But that would be a matter of opinion, and relative, less of grammar
– Tom J Nowell
Nov 11 at 3:16
add a comment |
It could be construed since most of the day had already passed that it was in the past. But that would be a matter of opinion, and relative, less of grammar
– Tom J Nowell
Nov 11 at 3:16
It could be construed since most of the day had already passed that it was in the past. But that would be a matter of opinion, and relative, less of grammar
– Tom J Nowell
Nov 11 at 3:16
It could be construed since most of the day had already passed that it was in the past. But that would be a matter of opinion, and relative, less of grammar
– Tom J Nowell
Nov 11 at 3:16
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Depends on how you look at it, but here's an idea for you to win this argument:
Is today November 11th? Check.
Is a day 24 hours long? Check.
That means that 11:59 PM (or 23:59) is still November 11th? Check.
Is today the best day ever? Since it's November 11th, it is the best day ever (or the best day in the history of all days up to November 11th). Once it hits 0:00, that's November 12th. Today was the best day ever? No. It's November 12th now. Yesterday was the best day ever.
So, technically--logically/grammatically speaking, if you prefer--it's not correct to say "today was the best day ever" because today has not ended yet, has it? Since when are your days just 8 hours long? Mine are 24.
A day is 24 hours long. If you haven't hit 0:00 on the clock, today is still in progress.
Another way to look at it: you're driving to NYC. Right now. Can you say, "This was the best drive ever"? No, you can't. Why? Because it is currently in progress. You still don't know if you'll make it to NYC--you may end up dying in a car crash before you even reach the place. With that logic in mind, "This is the best drive ever" is the only way to go as you are talking about up to this point in time.
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
Depends on how you look at it, but here's an idea for you to win this argument:
Is today November 11th? Check.
Is a day 24 hours long? Check.
That means that 11:59 PM (or 23:59) is still November 11th? Check.
Is today the best day ever? Since it's November 11th, it is the best day ever (or the best day in the history of all days up to November 11th). Once it hits 0:00, that's November 12th. Today was the best day ever? No. It's November 12th now. Yesterday was the best day ever.
So, technically--logically/grammatically speaking, if you prefer--it's not correct to say "today was the best day ever" because today has not ended yet, has it? Since when are your days just 8 hours long? Mine are 24.
A day is 24 hours long. If you haven't hit 0:00 on the clock, today is still in progress.
Another way to look at it: you're driving to NYC. Right now. Can you say, "This was the best drive ever"? No, you can't. Why? Because it is currently in progress. You still don't know if you'll make it to NYC--you may end up dying in a car crash before you even reach the place. With that logic in mind, "This is the best drive ever" is the only way to go as you are talking about up to this point in time.
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Depends on how you look at it, but here's an idea for you to win this argument:
Is today November 11th? Check.
Is a day 24 hours long? Check.
That means that 11:59 PM (or 23:59) is still November 11th? Check.
Is today the best day ever? Since it's November 11th, it is the best day ever (or the best day in the history of all days up to November 11th). Once it hits 0:00, that's November 12th. Today was the best day ever? No. It's November 12th now. Yesterday was the best day ever.
So, technically--logically/grammatically speaking, if you prefer--it's not correct to say "today was the best day ever" because today has not ended yet, has it? Since when are your days just 8 hours long? Mine are 24.
A day is 24 hours long. If you haven't hit 0:00 on the clock, today is still in progress.
Another way to look at it: you're driving to NYC. Right now. Can you say, "This was the best drive ever"? No, you can't. Why? Because it is currently in progress. You still don't know if you'll make it to NYC--you may end up dying in a car crash before you even reach the place. With that logic in mind, "This is the best drive ever" is the only way to go as you are talking about up to this point in time.
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Depends on how you look at it, but here's an idea for you to win this argument:
Is today November 11th? Check.
Is a day 24 hours long? Check.
That means that 11:59 PM (or 23:59) is still November 11th? Check.
Is today the best day ever? Since it's November 11th, it is the best day ever (or the best day in the history of all days up to November 11th). Once it hits 0:00, that's November 12th. Today was the best day ever? No. It's November 12th now. Yesterday was the best day ever.
So, technically--logically/grammatically speaking, if you prefer--it's not correct to say "today was the best day ever" because today has not ended yet, has it? Since when are your days just 8 hours long? Mine are 24.
A day is 24 hours long. If you haven't hit 0:00 on the clock, today is still in progress.
Another way to look at it: you're driving to NYC. Right now. Can you say, "This was the best drive ever"? No, you can't. Why? Because it is currently in progress. You still don't know if you'll make it to NYC--you may end up dying in a car crash before you even reach the place. With that logic in mind, "This is the best drive ever" is the only way to go as you are talking about up to this point in time.
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
Depends on how you look at it, but here's an idea for you to win this argument:
Is today November 11th? Check.
Is a day 24 hours long? Check.
That means that 11:59 PM (or 23:59) is still November 11th? Check.
Is today the best day ever? Since it's November 11th, it is the best day ever (or the best day in the history of all days up to November 11th). Once it hits 0:00, that's November 12th. Today was the best day ever? No. It's November 12th now. Yesterday was the best day ever.
So, technically--logically/grammatically speaking, if you prefer--it's not correct to say "today was the best day ever" because today has not ended yet, has it? Since when are your days just 8 hours long? Mine are 24.
A day is 24 hours long. If you haven't hit 0:00 on the clock, today is still in progress.
Another way to look at it: you're driving to NYC. Right now. Can you say, "This was the best drive ever"? No, you can't. Why? Because it is currently in progress. You still don't know if you'll make it to NYC--you may end up dying in a car crash before you even reach the place. With that logic in mind, "This is the best drive ever" is the only way to go as you are talking about up to this point in time.
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
edited Nov 11 at 6:39
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
answered Nov 11 at 6:33
Lucidity of Power
17518
17518
add a comment |
add a comment |
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It could be construed since most of the day had already passed that it was in the past. But that would be a matter of opinion, and relative, less of grammar
– Tom J Nowell
Nov 11 at 3:16