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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
What's the rule(s) for I was vs I were?
Hello. I'm looking for a simple answer to which is correct: "I was" or "I were." I hear both in conversation but don't know if there is a hard-and-fast rule for useage, if it varies according to situation, or what.
My confusion lies in that I usually think of "were" belonging to plural nouns and "was" belonging to singular, especially "they were" and "we were"--obviously, you don't say "they was" or "we was" under any circumstance.
And also, one wouldn't say "I were going shopping when I were hit by a car."
I'm asking because MS Word's grammar checker sometimes insists I use "I were" when I think it should be "I was." In this particular instance, I'd typed "I wish I was God" and it insisted it should be "I wish I were God." (No, I don't have a God complex. But if I was-or I were-God, I'd make English less complicated.)
Thanks in advance for the help.
My confusion lies in that I usually think of "were" belonging to plural nouns and "was" belonging to singular, especially "they were" and "we were"--obviously, you don't say "they was" or "we was" under any circumstance.
And also, one wouldn't say "I were going shopping when I were hit by a car."
I'm asking because MS Word's grammar checker sometimes insists I use "I were" when I think it should be "I was." In this particular instance, I'd typed "I wish I was God" and it insisted it should be "I wish I were God." (No, I don't have a God complex. But if I was-
Thanks in advance for the help.
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41 Answers
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My advice is to look for subjunctive mood on the Internet.
"subjunctive after wish. Yet another traditional rule requires you to use were rather than was in a contrary-to-fact statement that follows the verb wish: I wish I were (not was) lighter on my feet. Many writers continue to insist on this rule, but the indicative was in such clauses can be found in the works of many well-known
"subjunctive after wish. Yet another traditional rule requires you to use were rather than was in a contrary-to-fact statement that follows the verb wish: I wish I were (not was) lighter on my feet. Many writers continue to insist on this rule, but the indicative was in such clauses can be found in the works of many well-known
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Compare the following two cases:
(1) If he was from another planet ...
(2) If he were from another planet ...
Clause (1) says "He may or may not be from another planet, but let's consider the case in which he, in fact, is". Clause (2), on the other hand, says "He most certainly is NOT from another planet. Ha ha, that's impossible. Still, let's just imagine what would happ
(1) If he was from another planet ...
(2) If he were from another planet ...
Clause (1) says "He may or may not be from another planet, but let's consider the case in which he, in fact, is". Clause (2), on the other hand, says "He most certainly is NOT from another planet. Ha ha, that's impossible. Still, let's just imagine what would happ
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0 was 01 i 00 or 02 i 00 were 02 br
00 In the ordinary past tense of the verb 01 i 00 to be 02 i 00 , 01 b 00 was 02 b 00 is the first and third person singular: 01 i 00 I was late 02 i 00 and 01 b 00 were 02 b 00 is the second person singular and the plural: 01 i 00 You were right 02 i
00 In the ordinary past tense of the verb 01 i 00 to be 02 i 00 , 01 b 00 was 02 b 00 is the first and third person singular: 01 i 00 I was late 02 i 00 and 01 b 00 were 02 b 00 is the second person singular and the plural: 01 i 00 You were right 02 i
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If you're referring to "If I was" vs "If I were", then they're interchangeable. Many people prefer "If I was" because it goes along with the present tense "I was" rather than adopting the plural.
Some celebrities have adopted "If I was", such as Jim Morisson in "Light My Fire".
Some celebrities have adopted "If I was", such as Jim Morisson in "Light My Fire".
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Hello you Guest-Person-you!
About the use of was vs. were with the subject I. Here is the scoop on that!
ABOUT CONDITIONALS!!! Fundamental Level study of conditionals list four conditionals (First, Second, Third and Zero). Fluency Level study of conditionals list three forms of conditionals (Factual, Predictive and Speculative) with subdivisions in each.
About the use of was vs. were with the subject I. Here is the scoop on that!
ABOUT CONDITIONALS!!! Fundamental Level study of conditionals list four conditionals (First, Second, Third and Zero). Fluency Level study of conditionals list three forms of conditionals (Factual, Predictive and Speculative) with subdivisions in each.
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Hi, the rule here is not related to "I was" or "I were" but with "wish" structure, which always refers to a plural form of "Be" = "I wish I were there", "I wish you were here", "I wish she were here" and so forth.
Best wishes!
Best wishes!
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Being from another planet (technically the moon), the above situation does not apply to me. However, during a conversation with an Earthling cat, I encountered an example of the subjunctive mood. Since from what I understand, an Earthling cat would never ever want to be a dog, the situation qualifies as a "ha, ha, that's impossible" situation. FYI, here is a record of my conversation:
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Hi
'Was' is used in the context of the sentence where U want to tell about something that happened in the past. It means it actually did happen.
e.g. When I was a kid, I was very naughty...
'Were' is used where U want express possibility of the situation or wish.
e.g. If I were a millionaire...I'd do ....
Were is used with a singular person only when
'Was' is used in the context of the sentence where U want to tell about something that happened in the past. It means it actually did happen.
e.g. When I was a kid, I was very naughty...
'Were' is used where U want express possibility of the situation or wish.
e.g. If I were a millionaire...I'd do ....
Were is used with a singular person only when
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