Question about "has been", "was", "is"...
I have some questions about parts of English grammar which is difficult for me to express in words, so I write some sentences myself and expect to know if they are correct with your kind help. :)

I assume my BFF Jack has died. If I were to make him known by someone, which following one would I say?

A: Jack IS my best friend.

B: Jack WAS my best friend. (To me this one sounds like Jack are no longer being my friend...)

C: Jack HAS BEEN my best friend.

D: ......( You tell me please :)

Another:

I assume Jack is now no longer a president and he was a president during 1999-2004. If I were to say that there has been no worse presidents than Jack, which following one would I say?

A: Jack was the worst president.

B: Jack has been the worst president.

C: Jack is the worst president.

D:........

Another: (dialogue)

Lisa: Nice to mee you too, Jay.

Jay: Lisa, you know, I've heard a lot about you.

L: Really? I hope it's not anything bad about me.

J: Not at all. You are very popular. Everything I've heard __(A.has been B. was C. is)__ good.

Thank you very much!!

Question

Question about "has been", "was", "is"...
I have some questions about parts of English grammar which is difficult for me to express in words, so I write some sentences myself and expect to know if they are correct with your kind help. :) 

I assume my BFF Jack has died.  If I were to make him known by someone, which following one would I say?

A: Jack IS my best friend.

B: Jack WAS my best friend. (To me this one sounds like Jack are no longer being my friend...)

C: Jack HAS BEEN my best friend.

D: ......( You tell me please :)  

Another:

I assume Jack is now no longer a president and he was a president during 1999-2004.  If I were to say that there has been no worse presidents than Jack, which following one would I say?

A: Jack was the worst president.

B: Jack has been the worst president.

C: Jack is the worst president. 

D:........

Another: (dialogue)

Lisa: Nice to mee you too, Jay.

Jay: Lisa, you know, I've heard a lot about you.

L: Really? I hope it's not anything bad about me.

J: Not at all. You are very popular. Everything I've heard __(A.has been B. was C. is)__ good.

Thank you very much!!

Answer

Hi Jade,

1. "Jack was my best friend." The other two examples mean Jack is alive.  You don't have dead people for friends, you know.

2. This question is somewhat vague. If you say "Jack was the worst president", that makes me think the whole concept of American Presidency is finished. My pick is "Jack has been..." because you're making a conclusion based on the situation to date; it is possible that worse presidents may arrive in the future.  "Jack is the worst president" means now.

3. Yes, it's "was". This is reported speech.

Honestly? This is all fairly straightforward grammar. I wonder why you've had a problem with it.

Answer

1. B
But you need to tell them Jack died to make it clear.  If they don't know he died, they could interpret it as Jack used to be your best friend, or that he died.

2.) A

3.) "was"

Answer

Jade,

All of the choices in all of your examples are correct when used in the right context.

Answer

#1. was

#2. Not enough info to decide this one

#3. Everything I heard was good.
**not 'have heard'**

Answers · 4

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