know/knew

[Tan Elaine]

Hi all members

The young man who was knocked down and killed by a car this morning was my next-door neighbour. He liked to crack jokes. That is why a lot of the neighbours liked him very much. He was very helpful. Most of my neighbours know that he was someone whom we could depend on if we needed any help.

Should it be 'knew' instead of 'know' since the young man has died and since 'liked' is past tense?

Many thanks.

[Barb_D]

Yes, for both of the reasons you stated.

[2006]

Hi all members

The young man who was knocked down and killed by a car this morning was my next-door neighbour. He liked to crack jokes. That is why a lot of the neighbours liked him very much. He was very helpful. Most of my neighbours know that he was someone whom we could depend on if we needed any help.

Should it be 'knew' instead of 'know' since the young man has died and since 'liked' is past tense?

Many thanks.

I would stay with "know". Even though he is dead, the neighbors still know that he was someone...

Once someone is dead, we don't still say we like them, but we still know things about their life. We haven't forgotten who he was; we still know he was someone...

[engee30]

I would stay with "know". Even though he is dead, the neighbors still know that he was someone...

Once someone is dead, we don't still say we like them, but we still know things about their life. We haven't forgotten who he was; we still know he was someone...

I'm of the same opinion on this.
If that was wrong to say, we couldn't say the following either:

It is known that he was someone...
He is known to have been someone...

[Barb_D]

Sorry, I misread. For some reason, I thought it said "know him as someone who... "

I agree - "Know him as someone who was..." makes more sense, given that they still have this knowledge, even if they no longer (technically) know him.

I apologize for my hasty reading.

[Tan Elaine]

Hi

Many thanks to all of you for your help.