"still alive" vs "were still alive"

Question

"still alive" vs "were still alive"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Still alive' is used to indicate that someone is currently alive, while 'were still alive' is used to refer to a past situation where someone was alive. The choice between them depends on the tense you need to convey.

Last Updated: March 19, 2024

This phrase is used to describe someone who is currently living or surviving. It is often used to express relief or surprise that someone has survived a dangerous situation.

Examples:

Despite the accident, he is still alive.
I can't believe she's still alive after all these years.
The patient is still alive, but in critical condition.

Alternatives:

alive
surviving
living

'Were still alive' is used to describe a situation in the past where someone was alive. It is often used in narratives or storytelling to talk about events that happened in the past.

Examples:

If they were still alive, they would be celebrating their anniversary today.
Back when they were still alive, things were very different.
I wish my grandparents were still alive to see this.

Alternatives:

were alive
were surviving
were living

Answer 1

still alive

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that someone is currently alive.

Answer 2

were still alive

This phrase is correct and is used to refer to a past situation where someone was alive.

"still alive" vs "were still alive"

still alive

were still alive

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