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Rommel Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
What if a statement is contrary to fact but a time expression like “today” is used?
Isn’t it that when a statement is contrary to fact, the pattern “if + subject + ‘were’…” could be used and must be used, regardless of the number of the subject and despite the presence of such time expressions as “today,” “this moment,” and the like? Say, for instance, “If William Shakespeare were still alive today, would he be glad to see his plays being made into movies?” Am I right with the grammatical principle I have in mind?
Top answer
You are talking about the subjunctive . " It's more common (I"m told) in the US to use it, but you will hear both "if he were" and if he was" with the same meaning.
- You are talking about the subjunctive .
- " It's more common (I"m told) in the US to use it, but you will hear both "if he were" and if he was" with the same meaning.
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2 Answers
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You are talking about the subjunctive. You can find a lot about this topic by googling "subjunctive."
It's more common (I"m told) in the US to use it, but you will hear both "if he were" and if he was" with the same meaning.
It's more common (I"m told) in the US to use it, but you will hear both "if he were" and if he was" with the same meaning.
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In British English not many people use this subjunctive form nowadays. Probably most people would say, and many would write, "If William Shakespeare was still alive today, ..." Only in "If I were you, .." is 'were' still common.
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