Which is correct grammatically correct if I was or if I were?

Which is correct grammatically correct if I was or if I were?

Many people use if I was and if I were interchangeably to describe a hypothetical situation. The confusion occurs because when writing in the past tense, I was is correct while I were is incorrect. However, when writing about non-realistic or hypothetical situations, if I were is the only correct choice.

What to use with I Was or were?

“I were” is called the subjunctive mood, and is used when you’re are talking about something that isn’t true or when you wish something was true. If she was feeling sick… <– It is possible or probable that she was feeling sick. “I was” is for things that could have happened in the past or now.

What if I was or were?

You use the phrase “if I were…” when you are using the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive is used to talk about hypothetical situations or things that are contrary to fact. “If I were” is also used when you are wishing for something.

Why do you say if I were?

The reason we use WERE instead of WAS is because the sentence is in the SUBJUNCTIVE mood which is used for hypothetical situations. This is a condition which is contrary to fact or reality (the fact is, I am NOT you). In the subjunctive mood we use IF + I / HE / SHE / IT + WERE for the verb To Be.

Is if she were correct grammar?

“If she was” is past tense, indicative mood. It describes something that happened or may have happened in the past. “If she were” is present tense, subjunctive mood. It describes a hypothetical situation that is not true.

Can we use I with were?

We use “were” with you and they and we: it is the plural past form. But sometimes we can use “were” with I (he, she, it): I wish I were a sailor. This is called the subjunctive mood, used to express desires, wishes, intents.

Was vs were in a sentence?

Was and were are past-tense forms of the verb ‘to be. ‘ Use ‘was’ for the first and third-person singular tenses (I, he, she, or it). Use ‘were’ for the second person singular or plural tenses (you, your, yours, we, they).

Was or were in conditional sentences?

If the verb in the if clause is “to be,” use “were,” even if the subject of the clause is a third person singular subject (i.e., he, she, it). See the examples below for an illustration of this exception: If I was a rich man, I would make more charitable donations.

What is the subjunctive mood in English?

Getting in the (Subjunctive) Mood. The subjunctive mood is one of three moods in English grammar. The subjunctive mood is for expressing wishes, suggestions, or desires, and is usually indicated by an indicative verb such as wish or suggest, paired then with a subjunctive verb.

What does subjunctive mean in grammar?

(Entry 1 of 2) : of, relating to, or constituting a verb form or set of verb forms that represents a denoted act or state not as fact but as contingent or possible or viewed emotionally (as with doubt or desire) the subjunctive mood. subjunctive. noun.

Is subjunctive mood still used?

It’s only obvious that you’re using the subjunctive mood when you’re using the verb to be. The form of any other verb will remain unchanged. When you’re describing a wish or an impossible situation, use were instead of was. If I were you, I’d be careful.

Why do we use subjunctive in English?

The English subjunctive is a special, relatively rare verb form that expresses something desired or imagined. We use the subjunctive mainly when talking about events that are not certain to happen. For example, we use the subjunctive when talking about events that somebody: wants to happen.

What is past subjunctive used for?

The past subjunctive indicates a simultaneous action or a future action in relation to a main clause in the past tense.

What is the difference between indicative and subjunctive in English?

The subjunctive mood is used to talk about desires, doubts, wishes, conjectures, and possibilities. The indicative mood is used to talk about facts and other statements that are believed to be true and concrete. The imperative mood is used to give commands.

What is the indicative in grammar?

Indicative is defined as a grammar term for a verb or a sentence that either makes a statement or asks a question.

What is the indicative in English grammar?

In traditional English grammar, indicative mood is the form—or mood—of the verb used in ordinary statements: stating a fact, expressing an opinion, asking a question. The majority of English sentences are in the indicative mood. Also called (primarily in 19th-century grammars) indicative mode.

What is the indicative in French?

The indicative mood is used when we’re stating a fact or describing the world around us. There are several other moods in French, including the subjonctif (expressing doubt or possibilities), the impératif (expressing commands and orders) and the conditionnel (expressing hypothetical situations).

What are all the tenses in French?

French has three tenses: Present. Past. Future….The French past tense consists of five verb forms:

  • imparfait | imperfect.
  • passé antérieur | past anterior.
  • passé composé | compound past.
  • passé simple | simple past.
  • plus-que-parfait | past perfect (pluperfect)

How do you say tenses in French?

French translation of ‘tense’

  1. [ atmosphere, situation, time, period, silence] tendu(e)
  2. [ person] tendu(e)
  3. [ muscles, body] tendu(e) ⧫ contracté(e)

How do you understand tenses in French?

A tense defines the time frame in which the action of the verb takes place: past, present, or future. The following French verb tenses chart explains when to use each tense. It shows how compound tenses build off simpler ones and conjugate verbs for each tense: chanter (to sing) and se laver (to wash oneself).