"are still unable" vs "were still unable"

Question

"are still unable" vs "were still unable"

Both "were still unable" and "are still unable" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Were still unable" is used to refer to a past situation where someone was unable to do something, while "are still unable" is used to talk about a current situation where someone is still unable to do something.

Last Updated: March 27, 2024

This phrase is used to talk about a situation in the present where someone is not able to do something. It indicates that the inability is ongoing and current.

Examples:

They are still unable to access the system.
We are still unable to determine the cause of the issue.
Despite their efforts, they are still unable to meet the deadline.

Alternatives:

remain unable
cannot
are not able to
struggle to
fail to

This phrase is used to describe a situation in the past where someone was not able to do something. It indicates that the inability was present at a specific point in the past.

Examples:

They were still unable to find a solution to the problem.
She said they were still unable to reach an agreement.
Despite their efforts, they were still unable to complete the project on time.

Alternatives:

remained unable
could not
were not able to
struggled to
failed to

Answer 1

are still unable

This phrase is correct and commonly used to describe a current situation where someone is still unable to do something.

Answer 2

were still unable

This phrase is correct and commonly used to refer to a past situation where someone was unable to do something.

"are still unable" vs "were still unable"

are still unable

were still unable

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