2

Which is correct in the following sentence and why?:

  1. I met some people who 'hold' strong views on this issue;

  2. I met some people who 'held' strong views on this issue.

I think "2" is correct in the perspective of tense agreement.

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4

Both are fine. Held is more natural in that construction, but when it's a property which is likely to continue to the present, hold is perfectly good, and draws attention to the fact that it is still the case.

As Alex_ander points out, you cannot in fact be sure that they still hold those views, so it may not be logically solid to say hold. If you met the people twenty years ago, hold would be strange. But if it was last week, it would be very surprising for them to have changed, so hold is fine.

Improve this answer
0

Since you can't be sure the people you met still keep the same opinion about some issue, the correct version is 'held': it ties the action of the verb to the times when you met them.

Improve this answer
3
  • Thanks for your answer. But someone insists that the word 'hold' be right because it is an exception for tense agreement that 'some people' have 'strong views'. How about this?
    – 홍길동
    Jan 21, 2019 at 10:01
  • I think it depends on that issue, is it something temporary and doubtful or constant (like the Earth going round the Sun).
    – Alex_ander
    Jan 21, 2019 at 10:07
  • Umm... Just one sentence is presented. Consequently, 'held' is true in general but sometimes 'hold' is used if the issue is constant, isn't it?
    – 홍길동
    Jan 21, 2019 at 10:22

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .