Question The woman you want to meet most came here this morning

[hirashin]

Hello, native English speakers,
I have a little question.

Do you use (a) and (b) interchangeably? Or does (b) sound more natural?

(a) The woman you want to meet (the) most came here this morning.
(b) The woman you want to meet (the) most was here this morning.

Thanks in advance.
Hirashin

 

[diligentcircle]

They don't mean the same thing. "came" = 来た, "was" = いた (in this case). B says nothing about whether she came from somewhere else, just that she was there. It could make a difference if she lives there, for example.

If this difference doesn't matter in the context you're speaking, then you can use either one no problem.

 

[hirashin]

Thanks for the help, Julie.