That seemed vs That seems

Both 'that seemed' and 'that seems' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'That seemed' is used when referring to something that appeared to be true in the past, while 'that seems' is used when referring to something that appears to be true in the present.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 1224 views

This phrase is correct when referring to something that appeared to be true in the past.

"That seemed"

Use 'that seemed' when you want to talk about something that appeared to be true in the past.

Examples:

At the time, that seemed like the best decision.
She seemed happy with the outcome.

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And it came to pass all that seemed wrong was now right.
By sheer coincidence, I was reading an article that seemed your picture.
The kind of talk that seemed important until you discover girls.
If only it were true for things that seemed beyond repair.
The jet pack had come with an instructional DVD that seemed to confuse more than clarify.
And a world that seemed so safe...
The only thing that seemed to help him was his painting.
There was no other option that seemed right.
Little by little everything that seemed so complicated becomes simple.
A career that seemed dead has now risen from the ashes like a phoenix.
Early this year, economists at the International Monetary Fund produced empirical results that seemed to upend the old consensus.
Who was this Leonard Zelig that seemed to diverse impressions everywhere?
That brunch this morning that seemed so perfect?
As they struggled on, we tried to rekindle some of the fun that seemed to have gone missing from our journey.
'We did see a flash of lightning earlier that seemed to strike him.
And a world that seemed so safe is suddenly... filled with danger.
Think about how a company responds to a bankruptcy threat and how a change that seemed impossible just gets done.
I remember seeing a girl that seemed not to work there.
That seemed to satisfy your sheriff.
That seemed to go pretty well.

Alternatives:

that appeared
that looked like
that felt like
that gave the impression of
that was perceived as

This phrase is correct when referring to something that appears to be true in the present.

"That seems"

Use 'that seems' when you want to talk about something that appears to be true in the present.

Examples:

Based on the evidence, that seems to be the most likely explanation.
That seems like a good idea.

Show examples from the web [+]

That seems... oddly possessive behavior to me.
That seems a perfectly reasonable reply, chum.
That seems unfair, but all right.
My life for your son's? That seems fair.
That seems excessive, but okay.
That seems like pretty sane thinking.
That seems like a long time to sub out.
That seems odd, because you're very attractive, smart...
That seems like something that should really be investigated.
That seems to have made a difference.
That seems to me an unacceptable position for any country that claims to respect human rights.
That seems to be how it goes.
That seems to really concern a lot of people.
That seems to be Eleanor and her husband's game.
That seems to be where she's most comfortable.
That seems to be the problem.
That seems a little beside the point.
That seems to me to be a problem.
That seems like an especially miserable way to spend your final days.
That seems to be her specialty.

Alternatives:

that appears
that looks like
that feels like
that gives the impression of
that is perceived as

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That seemed vs That seems

"That seemed"

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