Can I Get Cobra if I Quit My Job
If I were you...
English Grammer
At school or in grammar books y'all are normally taught the post-obit rule:
- I / he / she / information technology - WAS
- We / yous / they - WERE
This is correct when we are talking nearly the Past TENSE.
But there is another situation in which WERE appears that is not the by tense. It also appears in the SUBJUNCTIVE mood.
First, let's look at the following structure and meaning before explaining why information technology happens...
If I were you
If I were yous ... is used when giving Communication about what yous would do in the same state of affairs as the other person. You lot imagine yourself in their position or situation and what you would practise or how you would react.
- If I were you, I would study more.
- If I were y'all, I would stop doing that.
- If I were you, I would become to the medico.
- if I were you, I would subscribe to the Woodward English YouTube channel right now. :)
- If I were y'all, I wouldn't play with those wires.
Though in informal (and grammatically incorrect) English, you may hear some people say If I was... This usage doesn't sound good, so avoid it.
You can also change the lodge of the judgement
- I would study more if I were y'all.
- I would be more careful if I were yous.
- I wouldn't do that if I were y'all.
Find how the comma is not necessary with this discussion club.
Why do you lot employ IF I WERE and not IF I WAS?
The reason we use WERE instead of WAS is considering the judgement is in the SUBJUNCTIVE mood which is used for hypothetical situations. This is a status which is contrary to fact or reality (the fact is, I am Not y'all).
In the subjunctive mood we use IF + I / HE / SHE / Information technology + WERE for the verb To Be.
- If I were not in debt, I would quit my chore. (But the contrary is true, I AM in debt, then I cannot quit my job)
- If he were taller, he'd be accustomed into the team.
- She would exist still be correcting my grammer if she were nevertheless alive.
In informal English, you will hear some people say If I was... If he was... etc. Once again, this usage doesn't sound good though unfortunately information technology is common, especially on the internet (and social media sites).
Can IF I WAS ever exist correct?
Yes, though the sentence is not in the Subjunctive mood but the Indicative instead. Note that it is not mutual to apply the indicative mood with IF. Let'due south compare:
- If I was sick, she would give me medicine that tasted terrible. (indicative = states facts or asks questions - in this case, IF tin be replaced by WHENEVER)
- If I were sick, I wouldn't exist here. (subjunctive = hypothetical - I am non sick, but I'thou imagining that hypothetical state of affairs)
If I was your fellow... NOOO JB!
There is a song on the radio that goes... "If I was your fellow, I'd never let you become..."
Well, lamentable Justin Bieber fans but this is grammatically incorrect.
Information technology should be "If I WERE your boyfriend, I'd never let y'all go."
Why? Because we are talking about a hypothetical state of affairs of me existence your swain. It is not existent, it is only a state of affairs I am imagining so we need to use the Subjunctive Mood here.
This song is why English language teachers don't like JB - well, one of the reasons. :)
Just hey, at least Beyoncé got it right with her song "If I were a boy".
Adjacent activity
Run across our grammar notes about the post-obit:
- Would
- Conditionals
- Zero Conditional
- Kickoff Conditional
- 2nd Conditional
- 3rd Conditional
If you found this grammar guide nigh the Second Conditional in English useful, let others know well-nigh it:
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