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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Please check these sentences for subjunctive
There are two sentences:
1) He waved the knife as though it were a candy.
I am assuming it has to be subjunctive in this case, and hence 'were' instead of 'was.'
2) His friends behaved as if he was absent.
I am assuming subjunctive is unecessary here, because 'being absent' isn't an impossibilty. Or, am I wrong? Do I assume that since he's present (and yet they treat him like he's not), it has to be subjunctive?
1) He waved the knife as though it were a candy.
I am assuming it has to be subjunctive in this case, and hence 'were' instead of 'was.'
2) His friends behaved as if he was absent.
I am assuming subjunctive is unecessary here, because 'being absent' isn't an impossibilty. Or, am I wrong? Do I assume that since he's present (and yet they treat him like he's not), it has to be subjunctive?
Top answer
You are wrong. 'Were' is formally correct for any hypothetical situation, including #1 and #2; it needn't be impossible. 'Was' is the informal alternative in both cases.
- You are wrong.
- 'Were' is formally correct for any hypothetical situation, including #1 and #2; it needn't be impossible.
- 'Was' is the informal alternative in both cases.
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3 Answers
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You are wrong. 'Were' is formally correct for any hypothetical situation, including #1 and #2; it needn't be impossible. 'Was' is the informal alternative in both cases.
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Common error in English. I'm an English major. For instance, you say (and yet they treat him like he's not).
"Like," in formal English, cannot be used as a conjunction as you are using it here. Technically, it should read, "and yet they treat him as though he were not." Here, you see the subjunctive. As for number 2, "His friends behaved as if he were absent"
"Like," in formal English, cannot be used as a conjunction as you are using it here. Technically, it should read, "and yet they treat him as though he were not." Here, you see the subjunctive. As for number 2, "His friends behaved as if he were absent"
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1) He waved the knife as though it were a candy.
I am assuming it has to be subjunctive in this case, and hence 'were' instead of 'was.'
2) His friends behaved as if he was absent.
Your sentences looked more like the simili variety than subjunctive to me.
I am assuming it has to be subjunctive in this case, and hence 'were' instead of 'was.'
2) His friends behaved as if he was absent.
Your sentences looked more like the simili variety than subjunctive to me.
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