0
Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
As if/as though/unless
He looked at me as if/as though I were crazy.
I can't do it unless it were important.
When we use 'as if/as though,' we say: I were instead of I was, it were instead of it was.
Where else does this apply? Does it apply to unless as well? Or in other sentences: I wish it were true. This is one such instance. Are there other instances aside from as if/as though? I take it if functions in the same way. If I were rich, I would help people.
Does that mean all sentences with 'if' have the same rule?
I can't do it unless it were important.
When we use 'as if/as though,' we say: I were instead of I was, it were instead of it was.
Where else does this apply? Does it apply to unless as well? Or in other sentences: I wish it were true. This is one such instance. Are there other instances aside from as if/as though? I take it if functions in the same way. If I were rich, I would help people.
Does that mean all sentences with 'if' have the same rule?
Top answer
It does not apply to 'unless'. 'It were' only applies to some 'if' clauses-- those of the 2nd conditional.
- It does not apply to 'unless'.
- 'It were' only applies to some 'if' clauses-- those of the 2nd conditional.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
It does not apply to 'unless'. 'It were' only applies to some 'if' clauses-- those of the 2nd conditional.
00
Thanks, but what about these statements I found at this http://bkmarcus.com/cache/usage/subjunctive/
# If I was (not were) to accept their offer—which I'm still considering—I would have to start the new job on May 2.
# If Hamlet was rea
# If I was (not were) to accept their offer—which I'm still considering—I would have to start the new job on May 2.
# If Hamlet was rea
00
Simply: it is indicative if it uses 'was' and subjunctive if it uses 'were'. The first sounds overly casual to me, too, but many native speakers use it.
00
Thanks, one other question. If 'I were' only applies to 'if' clauses, what about 'wish' sentences? I wish I were rich. Will it also apply to wonder? I wonder if that were true. Are there other instances at all (apart from 'if' clauses) where such a thing may apply?
0
Related Questions