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DonnieDarko Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

English subjunctive..."were" against "was"

Howdy,

i still have difficulties with the English subjunctive.

My problems include the following sentences:

"I wish he were here"
and
"I wish he was here"

It seems that both can be used and that both express a subjunctive use, but i am still unsure which of them is seen as the correct expression when using subjunctives.
  

Top answer

Both are fine - the only difference being one of style: 'were' is here somewhat more formal than 'was'. But they're not both subjunctive. 'Was' is a tense form, 'were' is a mood form, so only your first example is in the subjunctive mood.

— BillJ

  • Both are fine - the only difference being one of style: 'were' is here somewhat more formal than 'was'.
  • But they're not both subjunctive.
  • 'Was' is a tense form, 'were' is a mood form, so only your first example is in the subjunctive mood.
  • The 'was' in this kind of clause is a special kind of past tense - it's called a 'modal preterite' because it has more to do with modality than past time.
  • BillJ.
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4 Answers
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Both are fine - the only difference being one of style: 'were' is here somewhat more formal than 'was'. But they're not both subjunctive. 'Was' is a tense form, 'were' is a mood form, so only your first example is in the subjunctive mood. The 'was' in this kind of clause is a special kind of past tense - it's called a 'modal preterite' because it has more to do with modality than past time.
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First of all -Thank you BillJ for you explanation and for welcoming me to the forumsEmotion: smile
I am actually a little confused right now b
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DonnieDarkoWhy did they put the word "subjunctive" in brackets at the end of the first two sentences?
Hi Donnie:
I think the writers wanted to show that the sentence is expressing a certain mood (a wish for something), and that the subjunctive form of the verb would be appropriate.
i.e.
I wish he were here. If only he were here.
I wish I wer
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AlpheccaStarsThe writers are showing "was" because the formal subjunctive verb inflections have been gradually disappearing from usage, and you will hear and see this variation quite frequently.
Thanks AlpheccaStars, that seems indeed plausible.
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