If I was/If I were..? - pipTalk Forums

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hush
Senior Member

since 2001-05-27

Posts 1653
Ohio, USA

0 posted 2002-02-28 11:10 PM

"If I was to eat a bowl of cereal..."
"If I were to eat a bowl of cereal..."

What's the correct way of saying this? Spoken, I ahve always been more comfortable with 'was'... it makes sense to me, since "I" is a singular pronoun, but in writing I have had it corrected to 'were'... which way is right?

"Love is a piano
dropped from a four story window
and you were in the wrong place
at the wrong time." -Ani DiFranco

jenni
Member

since 1999-09-11

Posts 478
Washington D.C.

1 posted 2002-03-01 02:13 AM

"were" is the better choice there.

your example uses the subjunctive mood; it presents a conditional, doubtful, or wishful idea in a subordinate clause.

a style book i have says that, in such a case, the verb is usually plural and in the past tense, even though the subject is singular and the condition is past or future.  go figure.

don't even think of asking me WHY that is, lol, but there ya go.

jenni

Poet deVine

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-26

Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley

2 posted 2002-03-01 05:34 AM

What if I ate a bowl of cereal?

That sounds better to me.

[This message has been edited by Poet deVine (03-01-2002 05:34 AM).]

Christopher

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-02

Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration

3 posted 2002-03-01 11:41 AM

i agree with jenni - but not due to anything concrete... just because to ME, it sounds better...

"If I were a rich man... yada yada yada..."

C

Not A Poet
Member Elite

since 1999-11-03

Posts 3885
Oklahoma, USA

4 posted 2002-03-01 01:47 PM

Jenni said it just like I remember from Jr High. Hah, you guys didn't think could remember that far back, did you?

Pete

Never express yourself more clearly than you can think - Niels Bohr

Christopher

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-02

Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration

5 posted 2002-03-01 02:05 PM

i thought the middle ages only had trade schools pete?

Severn
Member Rara Avis

since 1999-07-17

Posts 7704

6 posted 2002-03-05 04:07 PM

ohhhhhhhhhhh...low blow C

~If I were a cave bear I'd (breaks into song)~

K

Not A Poet
Member Elite

since 1999-11-03

Posts 3885
Oklahoma, USA

7 posted 2002-03-06 10:00 AM

Actually, the only reason I remember that so well was that 8th grade English teacher was just about the meanest teacher I ever had but she really knew the language.

Pete

Never express yourself more clearly than you can think - Niels Bohr

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