Another Grammar Question

[cheermom]

My ms is in past tense.  But I'm not sure how to word something.

"He really is one of my favorite people.  He is funny and charming, sweet and loving."

Here's my question.  Since the ms is in past tense, the sentences should read, "He really was one of my favorite people.  He was funny and charming, sweet and loving."

However, wording it like that, to me, sounds like he's dead.  And I don't want it to sound like he's dead, especially since the last chapter flashes forward to present day and he's still alive.

Any suggestions?

[violet]

Your dialogue should be present tense. The narrative, past tense.

We talked and laughed as we sat by the edge of the sea. "You really are funny and charming."

[Magic_Seeker]

I'm going to assume that the example is inner dialogue, not spoken dialogue.  (Can a single person use dialogue?  The word implies two speakers.  )

He really is one of my favorite people.  He is funny and charming, sweet and loving.

I'd be inclined to use contractions, to make the tense vague.

He's really one of my favorite people.  He's funny and charming, sweet and loving.

This way it could be past or present tense. 

[cheermom]

I'm going to assume that the example is inner dialogue, not spoken dialogue.  (Can a single person use dialogue?  The word implies two speakers.  )

He really is one of my favorite people.  He is funny and charming, sweet and loving.

I'd be inclined to use contractions, to make the tense vague.

He's really one of my favorite people.  He's funny and charming, sweet and loving.

This way it could be past or present tense. 

That's brilliant!  TY!!

[DHE]

Hmm...I don't know.  I think contractions like "He's" is assumed to be "He is."  I can't think of an instance where I would say "He's" instead of "He was" that would sound natural.

Stick with past tense.  Everything surrounding it is past tense too and it won't sound like he's dead unless you use "had been."

She smiled fondly at the picture of Benny displayed on her night stand.  He was really one of her favorite people--funny and charming, sweet and loving. 

See, even if he's offstage, it doesn't seem like he's dead.  Now if it were:

She smiled wistfully at the picture of Benny displayed on her night stand.  He had really been one of her favorite people.  He had been funny and charming, sweet and loving. 

See the difference?

You're all good.

[lovinlife83]

I'm with DHE. The contraction doesn't feel right since it will be assumed to be "he is". If the whole thing is written in past tense it will sound okay to use was. Like DHE said, there is a way to show past tense in past tense by using had been and so on.