"I knew it was going to rain" vs "I knew it is going to rain"

Question

"I knew it was going to rain" vs "I knew it is going to rain"

The correct phrase is "I knew it was going to rain." The use of "was going to" is appropriate when referring to a past event or situation that was known beforehand. Using "is going to" would imply a present or future prediction, which does not match the context of knowing something in the past.

Last Updated: March 27, 2024

This phrase is used to express that the speaker had prior knowledge about the rain in the past. It indicates a past event or situation that was known beforehand.

Examples:

I knew it was going to rain, so I brought an umbrella.
She knew it was going to rain, but she forgot her raincoat.
They knew it was going to rain, so they postponed the picnic.
He knew it was going to rain, so he canceled the outdoor event.
We knew it was going to rain, so we decided to stay indoors.

Answer 1

I knew it was going to rain

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

I knew it is going to rain

This phrase is incorrect. It combines past tense ("knew") with present/future tense ("is going to"), creating a mismatch in the timeline.

"I knew it was going to rain" vs "I knew it is going to rain"

I knew it was going to rain

I knew it is going to rain

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