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Using "was" and "were"

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Guest  #7014  Thu, 04 Sep 03 10:33 PM
sentence example:

"parents wish their daughter were"

or

"parents wish their daughter was"


what is correct?
  
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Ryan  #7063  Fri, 05 Sep 03 09:38 AM
'parents wish their daughter was' - this is correct.
The word 'was' refers to 'one daughter'.

Or you can change it to - 'parents wish their daughters were'.


Ryan
  
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Pemmican  #7099  Fri, 05 Sep 03 02:37 PM
Both are correct!

The form "were" is the rest of the extinct subjunctive modus of the verb "to be".
It is used in sentences that express a wish that cannot be fulfilled e.g. the one you mentioned above.

Only "to be" kept these subjunctive forms in the 1st and 3rd person singular:
I were, he were
all the other verbs stick to their past tense forms.
Also "were" in these cases can be replaced by their regular past tense form "was".
  
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Wâ mag ich mich nu vinden? wâ mac ich mich nu suochen, wâ? nu bin ich hie und bin ouch dâ und enbin doch weder dâ noch hie. wer wart ouch sus verirret ie?wer wart ie sus...
moijelesuis  #7280  Sun, 07 Sep 03 07:27 AM
WERE is correct... as pemmican explains, the subjunctive is required, because regret of an unfulfilled wish is expressed.

(and regardless of whether you are referring to one or more than one daughters, "were" is appropriate)
  
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Ryan  #7308  Sun, 07 Sep 03 03:07 PM
I stand corrected - the subjuctive is needed. Please ignore my earlier mail. We are talking about an unfulfilled wish here.


Ryan
  
Anonymous  #525087  Mon, 09 Jun 08 07:20 PM
I am a year 5 teacher and really struggling with was and were for the following.  Please can you help?If I were the head master/mistressIf I was the head master/mistress)...I would teach 'was' as 'I' is singular but does the unfulfilled wish come in to it? Are both correct?Many, many thanks for any help you can offer 

Sharon Taylor 

 

  
Grammar Geek  #525099  Mon, 09 Jun 08 08:24 PM

Hi Sharon,

Look up the subjunctive - it's a situation contrary to reality. You would use "If I were" in that situation.

 

  
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Barbara, who answers in American English.
Anonymous  #539040  Thu, 10 Jul 08 12:58 AM
She looked as if she were to leave.
  
Anonymous  #539048  Thu, 10 Jul 08 01:07 AM
She wished that she were ten.
  
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