"is that supposed to work?" vs "was that supposed to work?"

Question

"is that supposed to work?" vs "was that supposed to work?"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Was that supposed to work?' is used when referring to something that has already happened, while 'Is that supposed to work?' is used when asking about the current or future status of something.

Last Updated: April 01, 2024

This phrase is used when questioning whether something is expected to work correctly at the present moment or in the future.

Examples:

The machine is making a strange noise. Is that supposed to work?
You connected the wires this way. Is that supposed to work?
The program keeps crashing. Is that supposed to work?
The door won't close properly. Is that supposed to work?
The lights are flickering. Is that supposed to work?

Alternatives:

Will that work as intended?
Is that expected to function properly?
Is that meant to be successful?
Is that designed to operate correctly?
Is that planned to be effective?

This phrase is used when questioning the success or failure of something that was expected to work in the past.

Examples:

I tried to fix the computer, but was that supposed to work?
He followed the recipe exactly, but was that supposed to work?
The experiment failed. Was that supposed to work?
The car wouldn't start. Was that supposed to work?
The plan backfired. Was that supposed to work?

Alternatives:

Did that work as intended?
Was that expected to function properly?
Was that meant to be successful?
Was that designed to operate correctly?
Was that planned to be effective?

Answer 1

is that supposed to work?

This phrase is correct and commonly used when asking about the current or future status of something.

Answer 2

was that supposed to work?

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to something that has already happened.

"is that supposed to work?" vs "was that supposed to work?"

is that supposed to work?

was that supposed to work?

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