"he is good" vs "he was good"

Question

"he is good" vs "he was good"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'He is good' is used to describe someone's current state or ability, while 'He was good' is used to describe someone's past state or ability.

Last Updated: March 23, 2024

Use 'he is good' to describe someone's current positive qualities or abilities.

Examples:

He is good at playing the piano.
She is good with children.
The chef is good at cooking.
He is good at problem-solving.
She is good at math.

Alternatives:

he is talented
he is skilled
he is proficient
he is capable
he is competent

Use 'he was good' to describe someone's positive qualities or abilities in the past.

Examples:

He was good at basketball when he was younger.
She was good at singing in high school.
The company was good at customer service before the new management took over.
He was good at fixing cars before he retired.
She was good at public speaking in college.

Alternatives:

he used to be good
he was skilled
he was talented
he was proficient
he was capable

Answer 1

he is good

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe someone's current state or ability.

Answer 2

he was good

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe someone's past positive qualities or abilities.

"he is good" vs "he was good"

he is good

he was good

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