This was vs this is

Anushka Athukorala

Senior Member
Sinhalese
Hello Members

While I was watching a video about washing machines I heard this " This was our first LG product that we bought."
The speaker said this while I was watching the washing machine working. Im wondering why he didn't say "This is our first LG product that we bought." Since he was showing his washing machine as he was speaking.
I would like to know the reason why he used the past tense with "this".
 
  • Hello Barque
    Thank you very much for your answer and it was very helpful . Does the same rule in this context too?
    This is the first time that we have used a LG washing machine. (I am telling this while using the washing machine)
    This was the first time that I have used a LG washing machine. (Is THIS suitable here or should I use THAT. If I used THIS what would it mean?
     
    This is the first time that we have used an LG washing machine. (I am saying telling this while using the washing machine)
    Yes, this works. Or: This is the first time I/we am/are using an LG washing machine.
    This was the first time that I have used an LG washing machine. (Is THIS suitable here or should I use THAT. If I used THIS what would it mean?
    Are you asking about the use of "was" instead of "is"?
    I'd expect this after you finished using it the first time. You could use either "This' or "That". They both refer to the fact that it was your first use.
     
    Thank you very much for your answer and the corrections. Yes I wanted "was" to be used with "this" in that sentence and to see how it affects the context.
    If I say "This was the first time I have used an LG washing machine."
    Does it mean that "I have just finished using an LG washing machine?
    And what about this sentence?
    "This was the first time that I had used an LG washing machine."
    What does it mean? I just can't think of a context in which this sentence is used.
    So can you please explain a little bit about this context?
     
    You can use "this" with any tense you like: "This will have been the happiest day of my life", for example.

    If I say "This was the first time I have used an LG washing machine."
    Does it mean that "I have just finished using an LG washing machine?
    No, I don't think you can use the combination of past tense and present perfect. The present perfect here refers the the present in this case (you are still using it), so you would use the present tense "is". If you are no longer using the washing machine, you would use the simple past for both verbs. In ordinary conversation, you would then change "this" to "that", but as part of a narrative, it would be fine.

    "This was the first time that I had used an LG washing machine."
    What does it mean? I just can't think of a context in which this sentence is used.
    Grammatically, this is fine. It is the "this is the first time I have used..." construction moved back to a previous time. In a narration, you can use "this" for the time a sentence is set, so if the timeline has reached the point when you first use the washing machine, it would be fine to use "this", depending on your narrative style.
     
    [...]

    While I was watching a video about washing machines I heard this " This was our first LG product that we bought." [...]
    I would like to know the reason why he used the past tense with "this".

    I hope that I’m not straying too far from your original interest in the statement.

    1. This is the first LG product (that) we’ve/we have bought. :tick:

    2. This is the first LG product (that) we’ve ever bought.:tick:

    1. A) “Is”...because it still is the first; and
    B) “...we have bought” because without ‘have’, there’s a subtle presumption that a second LG product was also bought.

    This is the first LG product we bought. We liked it so much that we’ve since bought an LG dishwasher, too!:tick:

    2. “...have ever bought” implies that the purchase was recent and that “we” haven’t bought any other LG products.
     
    Hello Jack
    Thank you very much for your answer but I still have a few questions.
    1. Regarding this statement
    " No, I don't think you can use the combination of past tense and present perfect. The present perfect here refers the the present in this case (you are still using it), so you would use the present tense "is". If you are no longer using the washing machine, you would use the simple past for both verbs. In ordinary conversation, you would then change "this" to "that", but as part of a narrative, it would be fine."

    The below is the link and the answer of one of my previous questions.

    ↑https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/it-this-that-is-the-first-time-vs-that-is-the-last-time.3290194/
    So could you please explain the difference between That was the first time I have ridden a motorbike and That was the first time I had ridden a motorbike.

    That was the first time I have ridden a motorbike.
    -> you have just stopped riding the motorbike and the experience is fresh in your mind. The present perfect is not usually used for descriptions - it is used for recent events that still have an effect in, or are linked to, the present.
    And
    That was the first time I had ridden a motorbike. -> you rode the motorbike some time ago and the action is now complete; that is a summary/description of a completed event in the past.

    I would like to know both you and Paul are native British English Speakers but your answers seem to be different. So is this some kind of regional difference?

    2. Regarding this statement "In ordinary conversation, you would then change "this" to "that", but as part of a narrative, it would be fine."
    Does this mean that I should use "that" when I'm telling a story to someone. Am I right?
     
    Hello Jaykay1053

    This is the first time I have read your answer.
    Thank you very much for your excellent explanation and it actually provided most of the answers to my future questions too.
    You have explained it so nicely that I don't have any questions left to ask.

    Im looking forward to reading your answers in the future too.☺☺
     
    I would like to know both you and Paul are native British English Speakers but your answers seem to be different. So is this some kind of regional difference?
    The difference is context. Paul was writing about the situation where you might speak the words in ordinary conversation. It is highly unlikely you would use "this" for something in the past, as this isn't how we usually speak.

    I was thinking of any situation where "this" could be used for something in the past, and there is, as part of a narrative, such as a novel written in the first person, or an autobiography.
    2. Regarding this statement "In ordinary conversation, you would then change "this" to "that", but as part of a narrative, it would be fine."
    Does this mean that I should use "that" when I'm telling a story to someone. Am I right?
    Almost certainly, unless you are using a rather elaborate style.
     
    If you don't give detailed context, you must expect to receive conflicting answers. Each native speaker will have a slightly different context in mind when they compose their answer. There is no meaning outside of context, whereas the questions you are asking about use of tenses are wholly dependent on context.

    Apart from that, different people have different ways of expressing the same thought.
     
    Hello Jaykay1053

    This is the first time I have read your answer.
    Thank you very much for your excellent explanation and it actually provided most of the answers to my future questions too.
    You have explained it so nicely that I don't have any questions left to ask.

    Im looking forward to reading your answers in the future too.☺☺

    Anushka, you’re most welcome! Glad I could help.

    Just a quick comment re: your motorbike question. This dialogue could happen in Canada...

    John: “Would you like to go for a ride [with me on my motorbike]?:tick:

    Sue: “Sure! But this’ll be my first time ever on a motorbike, so go carefully, please. “:tick:

    Sue could have replied,

    “Sure...This is my first time on a bike so...”:tick:

    Both replies have the same meaning and both are equally grammatically correct.

    These two replies are not what I would say or hear:

    “This was the first time I have ridden on a motorbike.
    Change was to is.

    “This was the first time I had ridden on a motorbike.”:cross:
    Change this to that. [speaking about a previous time other identifying marker...]
    “When I went with John was the first time I had ridden on a bike.”:tick:

    Even if I had just gotten off the bike, I would use “that”, not “this”.

    If I had just gotten off the bike, I might say,

    “Wow, that’s the last time I ever ride a bike with you!” (Haha):tick:

    Or...

    “That was my first time on a bike! You’re such a great driver, let’s go again!”:tick:

    Hope that helps,
    Jaykay
     
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    Hello Jack
    Thank you very much for your answer and it was very helpful. I think now I have understood the difference between them but I would like to have confirmation that my understanding is correct so I am writing a few sentences to check.

    "That"
    We use "that" almost always to refer to the past in ordinary conversation to talk about our experience which was complete in the past.
    "That was the first day/time that I had seen such a big dump truck which could carry 360 tons."

    However I still have some confusion about this sentence which I quoted in my previous post.
    "That was the first time I have ridden a motorbike."
    Is this sentence correct? Does it describe something I just did.

    "This"
    A) We use "this" to refer to ongoing activities or something which we have just done in the present.
    "This is the first time I have seen such a big dump truck which can carry 360 tons." means either I am seeing the truck right now or I have just seen it.

    B. I am trying to think of a context in which I can use "this" in the past but I will give it a try.
    Context: I am telling or writing a story about a child who was from a very poor family living in a rural village seeing a sports car for the first time when he came to the city.
    "Dulshan had never heard such a noisy car and this was the first time he had seen a sports cars."

    Does this sentence match the context I am describing?
    Can I use "it" or "that" in the same context as in?

    "Dulshan had never heard such a noisy car and that/it was the first time he had seen a sports cars."
     
    I think you are making a mistake to think of "this" and "that" in terms of when something happened in time. They both refer to something relative to the sentence they appear in. "This" refers to something close, and "that" to something more distant. "This" and "that" usually require an antecedent, something mentioned in a previous sentence or earlier in the same sentence (or, very rarely, something mentioned later). However, "this" can also refer to the current situation, and both "this" and "that" can refer to a situation that has just ended or is just ending. "This" with the present tense is for something taking place now; "this" with the present perfect is used for something just ending (or possibly that has just ended), and "that" with the past tense is used for something that has just taken place.

    Really, you should not ask about the usage of "this" or "that" without including the previous sentence(s) that include the antecedent, or else describing the situation where you want to use "this" or "that" without an antecedent.

    In general, if you have just described something that happened in the past, and are now commenting on it from the perspective of the present, then you would use "that", as it is something distant in time.

    If you are telling a story and the narration describes things as they happen (using either the past or present tense), then it might be appropriate to use "this" as there is no distance in time, but even then you might need to use "that" because of the distance on the page or in speech between the description of the event and the comment on it.

    When speaking in the present, you may use "this" or "that" depending on how close the thing is, either in terms of physical proximity or how long ago they were mentioned.
     
    Sorry if this complicates the matter unnecessarily but I just thought of one use of “this” that refers to something that happened in the past, even the distant past:

    If pointing out a date on a calendar, you might say to someone, “This was when the battle took place”, for example, or even “This is when the battle took place.” Equally though, you could correctly say, “That’s when the battle took place” or “That was when the battle took place” while pointing to the date on the calendar!

    So, this and that are often interchangeable when it comes to conveying relative time! Context is key!

    Such an intense focus on this vs. that may be less constructive than exploring other skills and concepts (now that you seem to have a good grasp of their usage).

    Hope this helps.
    Jaykay:)
     
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    Hello Jaykay

    Thank you very much for your answer. I'm sorry about reply late. I still have a few things to learn.
    1. Would you still use this sentence "That was the first time I had ridden a motorbike." When you have just got off the mortorbike?
    2. This is the logic I see in this sentence." That was the first time I have ridden a motorbike." We use "was" and "that" with the first time because there can be the second time also. The present perfect is used because here we talk about a very recent experience.
    What do you see wrong In this sentence it only the mismatch of present tense and past tense? Or is not logical?
     
    1. Would you still use this sentence "That was the first time I had ridden a motorbike." When you have just got off the mortorbike?
    Yes. Jaykay's reply (which is entirely correct) refers to something nearby in space. Although the Battle of Hastings took place almost a thousand years ago, you could point to the date on a nearby sign and say "Look, this was when the Battle of Hastings took place", where "this" means "this date written here".

    In your motorbike example, the relationship between the current situation and riding a motorbike is time, not space. If you use the simple past tense to describe it, use "that". If you use the present perfect then use "this": "This has been the first time I have ridden a motorbike". Personally, if you have just got off the motorbike, I would use "that was".

    We use "was" and "that" with the first time because there can be the second time also. The present perfect is used because here we talk about a very recent experience.
    No. You need a separate thread to discuss the simple past and present perfect (or look at one of the numerous existing threads), but the present perfect in this situation is used because the thing has continued up to the present.
     
    Hello Jack
    Thank you very much for your explanation. I would like to summarise.
    1. We use "present perfect" with "this" to talk about an event which is happening at the moment of speaking.
    eg. This is the first time I have ridden a motorbike.
    But can we use this same sentence when talking about a very recent event which just happened.
    Context: We go fishing and I catch a tortoise. So as soon as I pulled my fishing line I saw that I have caught a tortoise. In that conext what should I say?
    This is the first time I have caught a tortoise. Or
    That was the first time I had caught a tortoise.

    2. I am very interested in this sentence "This has been the first time I have ridden a motorbike". In what context do you use this sentence?

    My final question, what do you think about the sentence and the context given below? Don't ever use this kind of sentence in your speech?
    That was the first time I have ridden a motorbike. -> you have just stopped riding the motorbike and the experience is fresh in your mind. The present perfect is not usually used for descriptions - it is used for recent events that still have an effect in, or are linked to, the present.
    I am still confused about this sentence and appreciate if you can help.

    Thanks
     
    Hi Anushka,

    I see that you addressed your post to Jack. I hope it’s okay if I attempt to answer your questions.

    1a. While catching the tortoise, as an exclamation or statement:
    “This is the first time I’ve [ever] caught a tortoise.” :tick:

    1b. Narrating a story:
    “That was the first time I had [ever] caught a tortoise”:tick:

    2. You wrote: “This has been the first time I have ridden a bike.”
    This sounds like a non-English construction, to me.

    I wouldn’t say that about riding a bike but I might use this construction, “This has been the first time...”, to exclaim about something extreme that is still affecting me.

    As exclamations:
    “This has been the worst winter, ever!”:tick:
    It was and still is...

    “This has been the longest bike ride, ever!”:tick:

    “This has been the best experience I’ve had since arriving in New Brunswick.”:tick:

    3. You wrote: “That was the first time I have ridden a bike.”

    I think that the subjunctive is needed here because of this construction:
    “That was the first time [that] I...” (ie. “that” is understood/implied).

    Telling a story...
    “That was the first time [that] I had ridden a bike” :tick: or

    Exclaiming...
    “That is the first time [that] I have ridden a bike!”:tick:

    As an exclamation, I prefer: “That’s the first time I’ve ever ridden a bike!”:tick::tick:
    (as I’m getting off the bike and removing my helmet)

    Moderators: Perhaps this next bit is for a new or existing thread. I’m not sure.

    Still addressing your Section 3.:

    Here’s when to use “had ridden” or “have ridden/rode”; “had eaten” or “have eaten/ate” etc.

    I use this silly mnemonic: Whatever had happened had happened before whatever happened happened! or...

    Had happened had happened before happened happened. :D

    Telling a story...
    “I ate dinner after I had washed my hands.”:tick:
    The hand-washing happened before the eating. (Use “had washed”.)

    “An hour after I had eaten, I was hungry again.”:tick:
    The eating happened before the hunger. (Use “had eaten”.)

    ...first time [that]...
    “That was the first time I had ridden a bike”:tick: is the same as:

    That [time I went riding on Tuesday] was the first time [that] I had ridden a bike.:tick:

    I think we use “had ridden” in the above sentence (instead of ‘have ridden’ or ‘rode’) because we are referring to a bike ride that would have happened (or not) sometime before Tuesday as in,

    “I rode my bike on Tuesday but I had not ridden one before Tuesday/that.”:tick:

    Pointing to a calendar:
    “That was when I rode my new motorcycle for the first time.”:tick:

    I hope this helps. Please forgive me if I have caused more confusion!
    Jaykay :)
     
    Hello Jaykay

    Thank you very much for your excellent explanation and it must have taken a lot of time to write that explanation.
    I think after reading your detailed answer it looks like that I have no questions to ask anymore.
    I am sorry about the late reply because it took me sometime to understand your anewer completely.
    Now I would like to ask your confirmation if my understanding is correct.
    1. For ongoing activities we use " This" with "the present perfect" as in my "tortoise example.
    This is the first time I have caught a tortoise.

    2. For the activities we just completed we use " That" with "the present perfect" as in my "tortoise example.
    That is the first time I have caught a tortoise.

    3. When telling a story about a past event we use " That" with "the past perfect" as in my "tortoise example.
    That was the first time I had caught a tortoise.
    However we don't use " This" with "the past perfect" as in my "tortoise example.
    This was the first time I had caught a tortoise.

    Thanks in advance
    Anushaka
     
    2. For the activities we just completed we use " That" with "the present perfect" as in my "tortoise example.
    That is the first time I have caught a tortoise.
    Beware of this one. It is only used as an exclamation. If you aren't going to shout excitedly about it, don't use the present perfect with "that". Notice the exclamation marks in Jaykay's post:
    Exclaiming...
    “That is the first time [that] I have ridden a bike!”:tick:

    As an exclamation, I prefer: “That’s the first time I’ve ever ridden a bike!”:tick::tick:
    (as I’m getting off the bike and removing my helmet)
     
    Hello Anushka!

    You're most welcome. Sorry for replying so late to your reply. :)
    Great job with understanding what I wrote. You synthesized my thoughts, really well! Your ideas are correct as far as they go. See Section C, below for one clarification re: your #3.

    After all that explaining, "this" and "that" are sometimes interchangeable. Sometimes we can use "is" or "was" interchangeably, too. This probably makes things more difficult. Sorry! ;)

    Section A: Simple way to think of "this" vs "that"
    First, let's remember how we normally use "this" and "that" for nearby and faraway things. Then, we can think about times that are close to now, times that are far away. Here's my thinking:

    "This" and "That" as the first word of a phrase...
    "This" = close in time or space (present; nearby)
    "This is the first time I have caught a fish." :tick:(when the fish is on the hook or just after)
    "This is a table." :tick:(table is beside me, I'm pointing at it; I'm pointing at a picture of a table)


    "That" = away in time or space (past or future – even if the distance is in the immediate past; or a spatial distance away; or pointing at something or emphasizing something)
    "That's the first time I've ever caught a fish!" :tick:(after the fish is in the boat; if exclamatory, use exclamation point; use contractions – that's and I've – when speaking casually or writing casual dialogue)


    Section B. "This was" vs "That was" and "This is" and "That is"
    However we don't use "This" with "the past perfect" as in my "tortoise example.
    This was the first time I had caught a tortoise.

    Actually, "This was" and "That was" both work fine with past perfect when telling a story (narrative). Examples:

    That was vs. This was + past perfect (narrative)
    "That was the first time I had caught a tortoise.":tick:(autobiographical narrative)
    "This was the first time I had caught a tortoise.":tick: (autobiographical narrative)
    I believe that it only comes down to style between these 2 sentences above.

    "John remembered his birthday well because that was when he had made his first snowman":tick: (Use "had made" because he made the snowman before he remembered.)

    "John stepped off the train. This was (or It was) the first time he had been to Montreal. He was excited about going to the International Jazz Festival." :tick: (fictional narrative)

    ...but if you are standing there, holding the tortoise in your hand, you would say,
    "This is the first time I've caught a tortoise.":tick: (during the catching of the fish, now)
    "That's the first time I've ever caught a tortoise!":tick: (just after catching the fish, emphasizing with contractions and exclamation point – Usually, "That is" or "That's" points to something away from us or that we want to emphasize – note Jack's comment.)

    Section C. Continuous Verb Tense: Present Perfect Continuous
    1. For ongoing activities we use "This" with "the present perfect" as in my "tortoise example.
    This is the first time I have caught a tortoise.
    Yes. I would use your sentence above for while I'm catching it (not still looking for it) or just afterwards.

    :warning:"Ongoing" activities sometimes call for a continuous verb tense (look for "ing"):
    "I have been catching a tortoise" – a strange thing to say while picking up the tortoise and placing it in the boat but grammatically, it works. This is a better context for the concept of an currently ongoing, continuous tense:
    "I have been playing poker for an hour" (ongoing action, currently still happening)
    "I have been playing poker all my life." (recurring action makes is 'ongoing', in a sense; I still plan to play poker in the future) Notice the "ing" to signal that it's a continuous tense.

    ...but with, "This is the first time [that]...", you'll want to use your #1 example here.
    "This is the first time I have caught a tortoise." present perfect

    Now, I really hope that I have not made things more difficult for you, or anyone!
    Cheers,
    Jaykay:)
     
    Hello Jaykay
    Thank you very much for your excellent explanation and spending your valuable time answering my questions.

    Hopefully this will be my last post regarding this topic ☺☺.

    I have a few things to learn.
    1. Do you always use "That" with " Present perfect" when you only exclaim? Doesn't "That" have any other meaning when it is used with "present perfect tense"?
    Can't I use "this" with the exclamation mark?
    If I use the same sentence as below switching between "this" and "that" with and without exclamation mark, what is your opinion?
    A.This is the first time I have been bitten by a cat!
    B.That is the first time I have been bitten by a cat!
    C.This is the first time I have been bitten by a cat.
    D.That is the first time I have been bitten by a cat.

    2.QUOTE="Jaykay1053, post: 18050475, member: 860621"]Actually, "This was" and "That was" both work fine with past perfect when telling a story (narrative). Examples:[/QUOTE]

    Is this always the case? What do you think about my examples below?
    Context 1
    Me Seeing a massive 19 foot man eating crocodile caught by people 3 years ago and telling the story to a group of friends at a party. Can I use both "this" and "that" with the similar meaning?
    This was the first time I had seen a massive 19 foot man eating crocodile live.
    That was the first time I had seen a massive 19 foot man eating crocodile live.

    Context 2
    Same story but here I am sharing someone else's story.

    This was the first time even a local biologist had seen a massive 19 foot man eating crocodile live.
    That was the first time even a local biologist had seen a massive 19 foot man eating crocodile live.
    Can I use both "this" and "that" with the similar meaning?

    Many thanks in advance
     
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