He was in front of me vs He is in front of me

Both sentences are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'He was in front of me' describes a past situation where someone was positioned ahead of you. 'He is in front of me' describes a current situation where someone is positioned ahead of you.

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Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: January 15, 2025 • 7856 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used to describe a past situation where someone was positioned ahead of you.

"He was in front of me"

This phrase is used to talk about a situation in the past where someone was located ahead of you.

Examples:

Yesterday, he was in front of me in the line at the grocery store.
During the race, he was in front of me the whole time.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 25, 2024

Apr 30, 2024 ... I don't know how to start. I've known Conrad for 27 years, and have so many stories to tell. Whenever he was in front of me on stage, ...
Sep 20, 2020 ... “He was in front of me the whole time.He deserved it.”.
Mar 10, 2024 ... ... he was in front of me I tagged his left rear tire. This hit sent me into Max hitting the right side of his machine. Those two contacts ...
Jul 9, 2013 ... however he was in front of me not behind me. At night my light shine in his rear view mirror...how can he see what car first off is ...
Mar 3, 2022 ... ... he was in front of me during that time. As he got closer to me, he ... You can see by swiping left that the snowfall slowly subsided while he was ...
Jun 20, 2023 ... Suddenly, 45 years later, here he was in front of me to play. It was providence.” With insect-like movements and an unpredictable ...
Apr 2, 2015 ... What is the difference between, "he was in front of me" and "he was before me"? Can't we use "before" and “in front of" interchangeably? No, not ...
I was coming home from school through the park, like I always do, and suddenly, there he was in front of me. That was the first time I saw him.
Aug 7, 2023 ... What is the difference between, "he was in front of me" and "he was before me"? Can't we use "before" and “in front of" interchangeably? No, not ...
Sep 10, 2020 ... “Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: 'A fine message, Fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the ...

Alternatives:

He stood in front of me.
He was ahead of me.
He was leading the way in front of me.
He was positioned in front of me.
He was at the front of the group.

This phrase is correct and commonly used to describe a current situation where someone is positioned ahead of you.

"He is in front of me"

This phrase is used to talk about a situation in the present where someone is located ahead of you.

Examples:

Right now, he is in front of me in the line at the bank.
In the classroom, he is in front of me.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 25, 2024

Dec 1, 2022 ... Whether or not you speak this way, most English speakers would understand both "he is in front of me" and "he is opposite me." For ...
Aug 19, 2009 ... Can a police officer pace my vehicle if he is in front of me, and I am approaching him from the behind? NY answer.
Dec 12, 2021 ... Plenty of practices recalls and "looks" to build that attention, but I don't care if he is in front of me/behind me/close/far. Usually I'll ...
Sep 26, 2019 ... And yet, here he is in front of me, a 39-year-old man who spent the better part of two decades not really caring all that much about pizza ...
Nov 19, 2019 ... Some laps later Lewis took out Albon leaving Max Verstappen the winner and here he is in front of me, standing on his car in parc ferme in ...
I don't hear his approach either; he is there, then he is in front of me, as if carried by the wind. “Would you like company?” he asks. “The girls are bored ...
May 29, 2017 ... ... in an arranged marriage but I don't like my husband at all? I get irritated even if he is in front of me. All related (62). Recommended.
Nov 19, 2021 ... I see my grandfather Aubrey. My namesake. I never actually met him in life, but here he is in front of me now. My grandmother is with him. They ...
Sep 3, 2018 ... Eden Hazard on Marcos Alonso: "Sometimes, he is in front of me. I say to him, 'Marcos, you play left back - defend', but this guy doesn't ...
you say 'he is in front of me', 'the house is to the left of the road', 'go down there!', etc.? Page 7. On grammars of space. (Levinson 2003). Three frames of ...

Alternatives:

He stands in front of me.
He is ahead of me.
He leads the way in front of me.
He is positioned in front of me.
He is at the front of the group.

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He was in front of me vs He is in front of me

"He was in front of me"

"He is in front of me"

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