... is/was my fault

[Winwin2011]

The train starts at 10am. I arrived at the train station at 10.05. Then the train has gone. Which of the following sentence is natural if I say sorry to my friend?

1. It is my fault we missed the train.
2. It was my fault we missed the train

Thanks.

[SoothingDave]

The first, at that moment. Later on, telling the tale, you would probably use the past tense.

[CalvinLai]

Hi winwin2011,

Let's say you were telling the story to your friend at 2pm that afternoon, you would say something like this:

"The train left at 10:05. I got there too late and it was gone before I arrived. It WAS my fault."

Let's say you didn't wait until 2 pm to tell your friend the story, and you called him right away at 10:05, you would say something like this:

"The train already left. It is my fault. I am sorry."

BUT, that's not to say you can't use the 'It is my fault' at 2pm.

Let's say you are confessing to your friend at 2pm.

"If I didn't stop by the coffee shop, I would have made the train. If I didn't forget my keys, I would have made the train. And now because I missed the train, you couldn't pick up your daughter from school. I am sorry. It IS all my fault."

You can use both and how you use it is up to you.

Hope that's clear.
Calvin