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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

was or were

Hi,

I don't know if I have to use the word 'was' or 'were'. To me, the use of 'were' makes the sentence unreal or hypothetical.

Hypothetical situation:I have this trustful man who is highly qualified to speak on the topics he talks about and who does go around and gives speeches. He doesn't ask to be paid but accepts money for his expenses with prior arrangements between him and the entity that invited him.

Can I say this about him?

Hi, I think you should be grateful he is here giving a speech. If he was (were??) after money, he wouldn't be here. He would be spending his time doing something else.

To me, If he was after money, he wouldn't be here is like a reverse form? of a first conditional and the hypothetical or unreal (I don't know which one. Maybe both?) is a typical type 2 conditional.
  

Top answer

If he was were after money, he wouldn't be here. He would be ... ) I'm not sure what you mean by 'reverse form'.

— CalifJim

  • If he was were after money, he wouldn't be here.
  • He would be ...
  • ) I'm not sure what you mean by 'reverse form'.
  • 'backshift'?
  • The Type 1 conditional is If he is after money, he [won't / will not] be here.
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7 Answers
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If he was were after money, he wouldn't be here. He would be ... (Type 2 conditional -- normal, usual pattern.)
I'm not sure what you mean by 'reverse form'. 'backshift'?
The Type 1 conditional is If he is after money, he [won't / will not] be here.

The backshift of the Type 1 conditional is indeed If he was after money,
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google "subjunctive mood". i think it will help.
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CalifJimThe backshift of the Type 1 conditional is indeed If he was after money, he [wouldn't / would not] be here. Many people use this instead of the Type 2 conditional. When they do, they intend it to have the same meaning as the Type 2 conditional.
But isn't this just one of the many idiosyncrasies of Standard English (spoken by less than 12% of
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HuevosBut isn't this just one of the many idiosyncrasies of Standard English (spoken by less than 12% of native speakers worldwide). Is there any other English dialect that this exists in?
Sorry. I don't quite catch your point.
Are you asking whether the substitution of was for were is an idiosyncrasy? I don't think I'm comfortable with ca
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CalifJimI don't think it is very often that people speak of Standard English as a dialect
If it's not a dialect then what is it?
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HuevosIf it's not a dialect then what is it?
Beats me. An academic abstraction, I would say. Some sort of idealized form. Isn't that what most standards are? ??? I think it's possible to have a standard even if no one observes the standard. To me, a dialect would be something that arises naturally out of the way people in a certain area speak. Nothing
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****! Why did I start this? Maybe we should split it from the original thread.
CalifJimIsn't that what most standards are? ??? I think it's possible to have a standard even if no one observes the standard.
Yes, but it is not a standard at all. Standard English is its name but there is no standard nor standards body of English as there are for other languages.
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