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Quick question :shouldn't this be considered a grammatical error?
saying : If a person were<< I've seen that form for a few times now .. isn't it supposed to be : if a person was?? or is that an exception????
2 Answers
- LC InstructorLv 79 years agoFavorite Answer
No, it's not an error. When a sentence is giving an unrealistic or impossible "if..." clause, then you should use the subjunctive. Subjunctive is not very common or noticeable in English, but it's formed by using a past tense of the verb. For is/are, you have to use were (not was) to show unreal present conditional.
EXAMPLES: all these are imaginary or unreal--
I am not rich. If I were rich, I would buy you a new car. (WERE is present tense unreal)
I can't fly. If I could fly, I would go to Paris today! (not possible)
I don't like sports. If I likeD sports, I would watch football on TV.
COMPARE examples of possible or real: Imagine you wake up in the hospital and you have amnesia.
Am I rich? If I am rich, I will fly to Paris! (it's possible)
Can I swim? If I can swim, I will swim every day for exercise. (it's possible)
Do I like sports? If I like sports, I will watch football on TV. (I'm confused, but it's possible I like sports)
