equative verbs effected by tense?

[Theo Book]

I would say that "was" is equative irrespective of the truth of the statement: it equates the grandfather and the grandmother.

(Hence the possibility of saying "it falsely equates".)

The statement would not necessarily be untrue, of course, in the case of barnacles, certain species of gastropod, etc.

Best wishes,

MrP

Ha! Ha! Ha! That would be true only if I am a barnacle or a gastropod, etc. (whatever the parameters are for that one.) Thanks again for a very enlightening exchange and study.