- I was or I were? - English Language Learners Stack Exchange
I wish I were young I wish I were a boy I wish I were a policeman I wish I were a rich man All the above sentences suggest you want to be something you are factually not In other words, you are NOT young, a boy, a policeman, a rich man and you are sorry that you are not young, a boy, a policeman, a rich man If I were you, I wouldn't say that
- What is the difference between were and have been?
What is the difference between "were" and "have been", and are these sentences gramatically correct? 1) some of the best known writers of detective fiction in the twentieth century were women 2) some of the best known writers of detective fiction in the twentieth century have been women
- Meaning using was to and were to in sentence
That is, both "were to" (using the irrealis "were") and "was to" (using a past-tense verb) would usually be interchangeable in a sentence structured similar to yours, but that would be if the sentence was in non-fiction text Since this sentence is in past-tense narrative mode, the reader, as they are reading, would probably interpret something
- Should I use was or were in as though he was frightened?
The use of 'were' as a subjunctive auxiliary is probably more frequently missing than present these days, to the extent that you could arguably sound archaic if you do use 'were' The need to use a past tense auxiliary is still present (eg "If I was to go out" vs "If I were to go out"), but the need for a plural form even with singular subjects
- grammar - as if it is vs. as if it were vs. as if it was - English . . .
"If it were" or "If it was" can be used to give a hypothetical condition It's not actually true that the car is a part, or an extension, of your body, but hypothetically if it was an extension, you would get the same feeling of flow "If it is" could be used to give a condition that could (perhaps in the future) be true
- Should I use “was” or “were”? - English Language Learners Stack . . .
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- tense - If something was vs If something were - English Language . . .
Use were (instead of was) in statements that are contrary to fact In your sentences it should definitely be: "What if the Moon were a Disco ball" - It's not true, that's why we use the subjunctive, it's contrary to fact "If + were" expresses the subjunctive mood, which refers to wishes and desires and is known as a "non-factual" mood
- singular vs plural - When do I use was and when do I use were . . .
They were (Plural) She was (Singular) "Bonnie and her associates" are "they" so you would say were: Bonnie and her associates were invited to the gathering However, in your sentence, the associates are not part of the subject, so you would say: Bonnie, along with her associates, was invited to the gathering
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