It was/is wonderful.

[sukaman]

envisage that you have just come back from your trip to Grand Canyon.

Me: How was Grand Canyon?
You: It was/is wonderful.

Which word(was/is) do you usually use in your answers.
If you use past tense, it implies that Grand Canyon is not wonderful now.
If you use present tense, but your trip is past already.
If you use present perfect, it seems weird to me.

So, to a english-speaking native, which word do you usually use?

 

[emsr2d2]

envisage that you have just come back from your trip to Grand Canyon.

Me: How was the Grand Canyon?
You: It was/is wonderful.

Which word(was/is) do you usually use in your answers.
If you use the past tense, it implies that Grand Canyon is not wonderful now.
If you use the present tense, but your trip is past already.
If you use the present perfect, it seems weird to me.

So, to a English-speaking native, which word do you usually use?

Regardless of the implied meaning, the reply should reflect the tense in the question. After all, the question actually means:

How was your trip to the Grand Canyon?
It (my trip) was wonderful.

The question isn't really asking how the Grand Canyon was. It's asking what that person thought of it.

If the question had been:

So, what is the Grand Canyon like?

the answer could be:

It is wonderful!

 

[Barb_D]

I'd probably use "was."

My trip to see it was great.
The experience of seeing it was great.

Exactly as emsr2d2 says, we instinctively match the tense of the question.

So now that you've seen it for yourself, what do you think of the Grand Canyon?
Oh my gosh - it is SO amazing.