"is gone" vs "was gone"

Question

"is gone" vs "was gone"

Both "is gone" and "was gone" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Is gone" is used to indicate that something is currently not present, while "was gone" is used to indicate that something was not present in the past.

Last Updated: March 06, 2024

Use "is gone" to describe the current absence of something or someone.

Examples:

The cat is gone. I can't find it anywhere.
My keys are gone. Have you seen them?
The sun is gone behind the clouds.
The food is gone. We need to go grocery shopping.
The opportunity is gone. We missed our chance.

Alternatives:

has disappeared
has left
is missing
is no longer here
is not present

Use "was gone" to describe the absence of something or someone in the past.

Examples:

When I arrived, the cat was gone.
The keys were gone when I checked the table.
The sun was gone by the time we got to the beach.
The food was gone before I could have some.
The opportunity was gone when I realized it.

Alternatives:

had disappeared
had left
had gone missing
was no longer there
was not present

Answer 1

is gone

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something is currently not present.

Answer 2

was gone

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something was not present in the past.

"is gone" vs "was gone"

is gone

was gone

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