I just want to know if there is any difference in meaning implied with the use of either one of them.
NOT A TEACHER
Hello, Andi Harper:
A few years ago, I found some helpful advice, which I am delighted to share with you.
This source claims that the choice of tense depends on "[
h]
ow fully the speaker expects the action to happen."
Please study the source's two examples:
1. "It's high time we
send him a letter
."
a. If there's a real intention to send that letter now that the reminder has been issued, then the verb is present.
2. "It's high time we
sent him a letter."
a. If the speaker has some doubt that we'll ever get around to sending the letter after all, then the verb is past.
b. The source also feels that there is a sense of
regret that we haven't already done it.
Credit:
The Grammar Logs #471 [a question and answer grammar website].