father dead or alive

I know if someone died, we use the past time such as

if father died,

my father was a police.

What about the case of divorce

Your mother left him because your father was an alcoholic
Your mother left him because your father is an alcoholic

should it be is or was. keep in mind father is still alive.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

I know if someone died, we use the past time such as

if father died,

my father was a police.

What about the case of divorce

Your mother left him because your father was an alcoholic
Your mother left him because your father is an alcoholic

should it be is or was. keep in mind father is still alive.

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I'd say either can be used.

Your mother left him because your father was an alcoholic.
It indicates that both the leaving and the father being an alcoholic relate to the past.
The father is no longer an alcoholic. He was an alcoholic at that time.

Your mother left him because your father is an alcoholic.
Here, the leaving refers to the past, but the father is still an alcoholic.