tenses

[mamen]

Are the sentences correct?

1.Who are the people who were here last night?

2.Who among you are the people who were enrolled in this subject?

if these are correct please tell me there difference in the following sentences:

1.Who were the people who were here last night?

2.Who among you were the people who were enrolled in this subject?

Some says there is no difference, some says there is.

please help.

[philo2009]

Are the sentences correct?

1.Who are the people who were here last night?

2.Who among you are the people who were enrolled in this subject?

if these are correct please tell me there difference in the following sentences:

1.Who were the people who were here last night?

2.Who among you were the people who were enrolled in this subject?

Some says there is no difference, some says there is.

please help.

There is no significant difference. Since the addressees are apparently still alive at the time of speaking, and thus have now the same identity that they possessed at the past time in question, the choice of tense in the first clause is entirely optional. In general, however, English speakers (in contrast to, say, French) tend to prefer uniformity of tense in such cases, making the second set (arguably) a little more natural.

[mamen]

There is no significant difference. Since the addressees are apparently still alive at the time of speaking, and thus have now the same identity that they possessed at the past time in question, the choice of tense in the first clause is entirely optional. In general, however, English speakers (in contrast to, say, French) tend to prefer uniformity of tense in such cases, making the second set (arguably) a little more natural.

Thank you

But, what if I don't know if those people are still alive at present.
Because, remember, at the point/time of asking I don't even know who they are.

What do you think is to be used:

Who are the people who were here last night.
or
Who were the people who were here last night.

please help.

[philo2009]

Thank you

But, what if I don't know if those people are still alive at present.
Because, remember, at the point/time of asking I don't even know who they are.

What do you think is to be used:

Who are the people who were here last night.
or
Who were the people who were here last night.

please help.

If you were unsure as to their present existence, you would clearly be ill-advised to use the present tense! This is a matter of common sense, not of grammar!

[mamen]

If you were unsure as to their present existence, you would clearly be ill-advised to use the present tense! This is a matter of common sense, not of grammar!

'thank you so much' I didn't mean to make you mad in aking such question.

I'm sorry