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Pleasehelp Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Question

I'm asking someone a question and he replies with a joke:

I guess you wouldn't believe me if I said I was Kirk Douglas....

Shouldn't it be were instead of was since it's a conditional sentence?
  

Top answer

No, it is fine. It is reported speech: "I am Kirk Douglas" If I said I was Kirk Douglas. you wouldn't believe me if I were to say I was Kirk Douglas.

— Mister Micawber

  • No, it is fine.
  • It is reported speech: "I am Kirk Douglas" If I said I was Kirk Douglas.
  • you wouldn't believe me if I were to say I was Kirk Douglas.
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8 Answers
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No, it is fine. It is reported speech:

"I am Kirk Douglas"
If I said I was Kirk Douglas.

The subjunctive, if used, would appear in the main verb of the clause:

...you wouldn't believe me if I were to say I was Kirk Douglas.
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Right, but he's not Kirk Douglas...He was just joking...
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Do not confuse life with grammar.
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Mister MicawberDo not confuse life with grammar.

Are you saying that sometimes the things we say in life are grammatically incorrect and I shouldn't overthink it as long as I get the interpretation of it?
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No. Grammar does not necessarily reflect what is actually true; it reflects the speaker's attitude, view, belief or intention. Your telling me that the man is not really Kirk Douglas has nothing to do with the grammar of the sentence.
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So just because a sentence includes an 'if' doesn't mean it's always a subjunctive mood.
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I found it! It's called:

Hyperusage

The subjunctive has sometimes been used simply as a conditioned variant that follows "if" and similar words even in the absence of a hypothetical situation.
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