sentence question

I wish there were more fruits and veggies on the table.

'Was' occurs only casually.

Thank you. Is that because of the word 'wish', and not about the two items that follow, fruits and veggies?

How about: I wish there was/were more meat and cheese in the sandwich.

Should 'were' also be used here?

Anonymous Is that because of the word 'wish', and not about the two items that follow, fruits and veggies?

'Wish' formally requires 'were' but informally takes 'was' also nowadays. However, the plural nouns following influence the choice of (indicative) plural 'were'; on the other hand, the casual 'veggies' encourages the choice of informal (subjunctive) 'was

I see. So does it have nothing to do with the number of items that follow?

What I mean is if I said: I wish there was/were more meat vs I wish there was/were more meat and cheese.
In both of these cases 'were' would be correct?

But when I say: there is fruits and vegetables on the table. isn't that wrong and 'are' should be used instead?

AnonymousSo does it have nothing to do with the number of items that follow?

I have already explained that it does, somewhat.

AnonymousWhat I mean is if I said: I wish there was/were more meat vs I wish there was/were more meat and cheese.In both of these cases 'were' would be correct?

Yes.

AnonymousB

I read them, but they do not talk about when a singular or plural should follow. But I noticed that whenever the subjunctive is used, a plural word is followed.

So would that be that case when a subjunctive is involved in a sentence where a plural word should follow, no matter the number of items?

I wish there were more tomato.
I wish there were more tomato and cheese.

AnonymousSo the subjunctive sentence would require the plural word, no matter what follows. Would that be correct?

Not really. In the subjunctive there are no singular or plural forms of the verb. The past subjunctive form of BE is were regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural.

Thanks. What about the number of items that follow the verb such as in the examples I gave above. Would it not matter because there are no singular or plural verbs in the subjunctive, anyway?

AnonymousThanks. What about the number of items that follow the verb such as in the examples I gave above. Would it not matter because there are no singular or plural verbs in the subjunctive, anyway?

Quite. It wouldn't make any difference at all to people who consistently used subjunctive were.

I see. But why is it casually possible to say: I wish there 'was' more cheese and onion in the sandwich. Here we have two items cheese and onions that takes a plural verb.

In a regular sentence, do we say:
There is or are cheese and onion in the sandwhich.
There is or are fruits and vegetables on the table.