Is it Appropriate If we Use the Past Tense After 'Time' in this Context?

Question

Like, "I think it's time we sat down and talk" even if it wasn't in the past?

Answer 1

It's grammatically incorrect, but if you were going to use this phrase in real life, why, I say, why not? I for one randomly yell 'Cupcakes!' and 'I like ponies!' spontaneously for no apparent reason. Depending on what context your using the phrase, it's acceptable.

Answer 2

In casual conversation, very few people would consider this an error, or even notice anything out of the ordinary.

However, "sat down" and "talk" don't agree with each other.  Those two verbs (at least) should have the same tense.

I can think of two ways to improve the sentence.  One is "I think it's time we sit down and talk."  That phrasing places every verb in the simple present tense.  The other is "I think it's past time we sat down and talked."  

The second way is a little more complicated to explain, because it's a more-involved elliptical.  It parses as "I think [that] it's past [the] time [that] we [should have] sat down and talked."

In spoken American English, it's a common idiom to use the simple past tense in the subordinate verb or verbs this structure.  "It's time we did it" or "It's time we got around to it" sound perfectly natural.  But, since it's easier to explain why "It's time we do it" or "It's time we get to it" make sense, I'd have to recommend your using simple present tense across the board.

Answer 3

No, one can't do that. It is confusing tenses.

"I thought it's [it was] time we sat down and talked." - past.

Present:

"I think it's [it is] time we SIT down and talk."