Where was/is the hotel?

[Winwin2011]

[John and his friend is now talking about John's trip to London last week]

John's friend: Which hotel did you stay at?
John: Ibis London.
John's friend: Where was/is the hotel?

Are the words in bold both correct?

Thanks.

 

[charliedeut]

I would personally use "is", unless the hotel has been demolished since.

 

[SoothingDave]

Either works, but I would use "was" since you are talking of a past trip.

 

[Odessa Dawn]

***NOT A TEACHER***

​

The word friend is misleading. Although we have the same vowels in two different words in here but we pronounce them differently.


Friend/frend/

​

Brief/briːf/

 

[MikeNewYork]

This area of reported speech can be problematic. The general rule says that verbs should be in the past when reporting speech. However, as we suggested earlier by Charlie, there are exceptions. When one has evidence that the condition reported has not changed from the time of the original speech, it sometimes makes more sense to use present tense.

Examples:

She said her friend was/is 6 feet tall. Could he have shrunk?
He said his restaurant was/in in Baltimore. Did it move?

Logic is a part of good English.

 

[Nicklexoxo]

I ain't a teacher, but I think "is" is better, than "was", because the hotel stands on the same spot everyday, it doesn't change a place. Maybe I'm talking a rubbish, but I think so.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I agree with you, Nickle. The hotel is likely still there.

 

[Odessa Dawn]

***NOT A TEACHER***

​

It should be every day - two words.

​

 

[Barb_D]

I ain't a teacher, but I think "is" is better, than "was", because the hotel stands on the same spot everyday, it doesn't change a place. Maybe I'm talking a rubbish, but I think so.

I'm not a teacher. ... every day. It doesn't move.

Please don't use "ain't." It's non-standard.
You have a comma splice.