correct usage of were and was?

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Anonymous:

Is there a time when it is correct to use: If it was. . . I tend to always use: If it were

Ruslana:

Hello! Perhaps, this will help you:

conditional

Veteran Member6,386

Tagalong1966:

Generally WAS is used to refer to a sigular nown while WERE is used to refer to a plural nown.

It was late.

They were late.

I was in the car.

Sam and Joe were in the car.

New Member15

rishonly:

Hi Anon,

I believe your question is somehow related to ‘subjunctive mood’ in English, and I would like to touch base on this topic. One of the functions of subjunctive mood is to express an idea or a statement that is contrary or hypothetical to real present. In such cases, the past form of ‘to be’ verb (is/am/was/were...etc) is always ‘were’, regardless of the subject, gender, and number.

(1) If I were a bird, I would fly around the world. (But, I am not a bird now)

(2) If it were a bird, it would fly around the world. (But, it is not a bird now)

(3) If he were here, he would invite you. (But, he is not here, now)

(4) If I were a political leader, I would always think about public welfare. (However, I am not a political leader, now)

In all above cases, regardless of the subject and its gender and number, the past form of ‘to be’ verb is always ‘were’.

Hope, this will give you some idea.

Contributing Member1,772

CalifJim:

Following up on rishonly's comments,

Use "If it were" for a hypothetical, contrary-to-fact situation in the present.
Use "If it was" for a real situation in the past.

(This is the same for "I", "he", and "she". "we", "you", and "they" are always "were", of course.)

If it were a fake, the chemical analysis would show it.
If it was a fake, it was a very good fake, because I couldn't tell the difference.

CJ

Veteran Member45,845

Anonymous:

99% of the time you are correct. The only time you use if and was together is if the statement is not presumed to be untrue

for instance "If I were superman ""is correct. It is obvious I am not superman

But - "if he was away all day he wouldn't answer is phone is also correct because his being away all day is presumed to be true.

Anonymous:

CalifJim,

Perhaps you can help me. What if you are teasing something that is in fact true with the proposal that it is so sought-after that it is assumed to not be true? For example: "Imagine if it (were/was) available now."

Let's use a unicorn as an example:

"Imagine if a unicorn (was/were) found today." In reality, a unicorn was found today, and I am simply presenting it as a grandiose "think about it!" context in order to build up to the reality, that a unicorn was truly found today.

Since the situation is not contrary to fact, but is set up to be hypothetical, which is the correct usage if usage of were is considered to be "hypothetical and contrary to the fact?"

An immediate response would be greatly appreciated if possible.

Thank you.

CalifJim:

I don't find imagine if to be a very usual combination of words. It strikes me as ungrammatical. It's imagine that ..., so I don't think your questions about if really fit here. I would say Imagine that a unicorn was found today. And none of the rules about verb forms after if really apply.
Other combinations:
If a unicorn were found today, I would certainly be surprised. (The causality of the antecedent-consequent relationship exists here.)

If a unicorn was found today, it certainly escaped my notice. (Not a true antecedent-consequent relationship.)

were goes with would.
was goes with a simple past.
CJ

Anonymous:

If John McCain was elected... or If John McCain were elected...

correct usage of were and was?

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