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Pructus Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Hypercorrection were

Hello...

Below is from Quirk et al.


It may lead some, for example, to replace their usual was by subjunctive were in if I was strong enough, I would help you, or to replace who by whom in the teacher who I most admired.

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It says that the the were in "if I were strong enough, I would help you" is hypercorrection.

But I find many occasions of "If I were a bird, I would fly to you".


Is the were in "If I were strong enough, I would help you" hypercorrection and should it be

"If I was strong enough, I would help you"?

  

Top answer

pructus Is the were in "If I were strong enough, I would help you" hypercorrection and should it be"If I was strong enough, I would help you"? Well, Quirk certainly thinks so. Frankly, I don't see his point, but whatever it is, it seems to be a very fine point.

— CalifJim

  • pructus Is the were in "If I were strong enough, I would help you" hypercorrection and should it be"If I was strong enough, I would help you"?
  • Well, Quirk certainly thinks so.
  • Frankly, I don't see his point, but whatever it is, it seems to be a very fine point.
  • When I speak and write, I do not parse the grammar quite so closely as that, so I'd use 'were'.
  • CJ
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2 Answers
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pructusIs the were in "If I were strong enough, I would help you" hypercorrection and should it be"If I was strong enough, I would help you"?

Well, Quirk certainly thinks so.

Frankly, I don't see his point, but whatever it is, it seems to be a very fine point. When I speak and write, I do not parse the grammar quite so closely as that, so I'd use 'we

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If I were strong enough, I would help you.


I tend to agree with Quirk.

This mood form of "were" is a relic of an earlier system, and many speakers use the somewhat less formal, and perfectly acceptable, "was".

I suspect that "were" is more widely used by older speakers, though I've no reliable evidence of this to hand.

The meaning and grammar are the same wi

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