Using was / were

Question

I found a sentence in the web.

If I were you.
If I was you

Which one is correct? Must we use "were" just with you/we/they? is something wrong here?

wshcdr · Answer 1 · 2016-08-08T08:31:39.490

2

To my knowledge, "If I were you" are correct, it is used in subjunctive mood, ex: If I were you ,I would marry her.

edited Aug 08 '16 at 08:31

answered Aug 08 '16 at 08:03

wshcdr

133

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Aug 08 '16 at 11:58

From Wikipedia ("English subjunctive"):

The subjunctive in English is used to form sentences that do not describe known objective facts. These include statements about one's state of mind, such as opinion, belief, purpose, intention, or desire. It contrasts with the indicative mood, which is used for statements of fact, such as He speaks English.

In Modern English, the subjunctive form of a verb often looks identical to the indicative form, and thus subjunctives are not a very visible grammatical feature of English. For most verbs, the only distinct subjunctive form is found in the third person singular of the present tense, where the subjunctive lacks the -s ending: It is necessary that he see a doctor (contrasted with the indicative he sees). However, the verb be has not only a distinct present subjunctive (be, as in I suggest that he be removed) but also a past subjunctive were (as in If he were rich, …).

Using was / were

2 Answers2