Ce n’est pas que au petit matin

Question

‘Ce n’est que au petit matin’ : pourquoi pas ‘ce n’était  que au petit matin’?

Accepted Answer

Hi Ian, 
Oops! 
In French we would use the present de narration, this is often different in English, as in this case.
Bonne Continuation !

Answer

Hi Ian,
Please take a look at the following page on which words can be elided, que being one of them.
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/glossary/contraction/l-elision-elision
Bonne Continuation !

Answer

Hi CécileThanks for spotting my error but my questions related to the test of être: why is it the present and no the imperfect ie c’est rather that c’étaitThanks

Answer

Since the rest of the story is not in the present tense, I don't think this can be the présent de narration.

I answered a similar question here:

https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/questions/view/use-of-the-present-when-it-is-actually-the-past

I also found an explanation in a book, online. Here is a link to Google books, but I don't know if it will work for you:

https://tinyurl.com/yzr2cjmb