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Ahhhh the truth is revealed. A registered member just being hateful. And doing it wrong at the same time. :
: I wish BC could just tell us who it is so we would know who's acting like a child.
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First Unregistered post ever. (This one here being my 2nd). I think there must be someone else doing it?? (I haven't seen it, if there is) But it's not me.
That being cleared up, here is where I'm coming from on the grammar:
"Today's topic is the past subjunctive, or in terms you might recognize, when to use "I was" and when to use "I were."
Was Versus Were
Carrie from New Orleans asked me to help her understand whether she should say "I wish I were more perceptive" or "I wish I was more perceptive." It's a great question because it's something that a lot of people don't know.
Believe it or not, verbs have moods just like you do. Yes, before the Internet and before emoticons, somebody already thought it was important to communicate moods. So, like many other languages, English has verbs with moods ranging from commanding to questioning and beyond. The mood of the verb "to be" when you use the phrase "I were" is called the subjunctive mood, and you use it for times when you're talking about something that isn't true or you're being wishful.
When to Use Were
Carrie's example is an easy one to start with because her sentence starts with words "I wish"--I wish I were more perceptive--and that's about the biggest clue you can get that her sentence is wishful. Wishful sentences call for the subjunctive mood of the verb "to be," so the right choice is "I were": I wish I were more perceptive.
Here's another example to help you remember. Think of the song “If I Were a Rich Man,” from Fiddler on the Roof. When Tevye sings “If I were a rich man,” he is fantasizing about all the things he would do if he were rich. He's not rich, he's just imagining, so "If I were" is the correct statement. This time you've got a different clue at the beginning of the line: the word "if." Although it's not always the case, sentences that start with "if" are often also wishful or contrary to fact. Here are some examples:
If I were in charge, I would declare every Friday a holiday.
If he were nicer, I wouldn't hate him so much.
If the ladder were taller, we could reach the cat.
All those sentences use the verb "were" because they aren't true. I was just talking about things I wish would happen or talking about what would happen if things were different from what they actually are. I can't declare every Friday a holiday, he will never be nicer, and the ladder will never be taller. Also notice how in each of those sentences, the part that follows the subjunctive verb contains a word such as "would" or "could." I would declare a holiday. We could reach the cat. Those wishful words are also a clue that you might need the subjunctive mood."
From Grammar Girl
Thank you. And sorry for any ruffled feathers. This was blown up more than it needed to be.
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Because you WERE rude. And that is NOT an untrue statement. So the use of were is not always confined to untrue statements. The title of her book makes a statement. A TRUE statement. Making the use of the word was (wasn't actually) proper.Comment
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It wasn't blown out of proportion and this isn't your first unregistered post.First Unregistered post ever. (This one here being my 2nd). I think there must be someone else doing it?? (I haven't seen it, if there is) But it's not me.
That being cleared up, here is where I'm coming from on the grammar:
"Today's topic is the past subjunctive, or in terms you might recognize, when to use "I was" and when to use "I were."
Was Versus Were
Carrie from New Orleans asked me to help her understand whether she should say "I wish I were more perceptive" or "I wish I was more perceptive." It's a great question because it's something that a lot of people don't know.
Believe it or not, verbs have moods just like you do. Yes, before the Internet and before emoticons, somebody already thought it was important to communicate moods. So, like many other languages, English has verbs with moods ranging from commanding to questioning and beyond. The mood of the verb "to be" when you use the phrase "I were" is called the subjunctive mood, and you use it for times when you're talking about something that isn't true or you're being wishful.
When to Use Were
Carrie's example is an easy one to start with because her sentence starts with words "I wish"--I wish I were more perceptive--and that's about the biggest clue you can get that her sentence is wishful. Wishful sentences call for the subjunctive mood of the verb "to be," so the right choice is "I were": I wish I were more perceptive.
Here's another example to help you remember. Think of the song “If I Were a Rich Man,” from Fiddler on the Roof. When Tevye sings “If I were a rich man,” he is fantasizing about all the things he would do if he were rich. He's not rich, he's just imagining, so "If I were" is the correct statement. This time you've got a different clue at the beginning of the line: the word "if." Although it's not always the case, sentences that start with "if" are often also wishful or contrary to fact. Here are some examples:
If I were in charge, I would declare every Friday a holiday.
If he were nicer, I wouldn't hate him so much.
If the ladder were taller, we could reach the cat.
All those sentences use the verb "were" because they aren't true. I was just talking about things I wish would happen or talking about what would happen if things were different from what they actually are. I can't declare every Friday a holiday, he will never be nicer, and the ladder will never be taller. Also notice how in each of those sentences, the part that follows the subjunctive verb contains a word such as "would" or "could." I would declare a holiday. We could reach the cat. Those wishful words are also a clue that you might need the subjunctive mood."
From Grammar Girl
Thank you. And sorry for any ruffled feathers. This was blown up more than it needed to be.
The example you gave doesn't make sense.
I'm making a true declaration that the job would be great if not for the dealings with the parents. That is not wishful.
I don't get how what you copied and pasted has anything to do with my true declaration.Comment
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Dramatic much?Comment
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Recommended your book to a child psycologist I met over the weekend. Her specialty is giving classes to child care providers.
The two classes I took:Surviving Difficult Parents
To Time Out or Not
Awesome classes and I learned so, so, so, so, much!Each day is a fresh start
Never look back on regrets
Live life to the fullest
We only get one shot at this!!
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In the interest of full disclosure, my undergraduate degree was in math, not English, but I would have selected WEREN'T because I seem to recall from 9th grade English class that WEREN'T is used in situations that are hypothetical or unknown. That being said, I saw that phrase multiple times in the post, and until all of the drama going back and forth about it, it certainly did not cause me any concern. I would hope that would not keep anyone who is interested from buying the book. The author is a content expert and is not trying to be a high school English teacher.Comment
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Thank you for the respose.
I believe you are incorrect because the statement isn't hypothetical or wishful. It is the truth. This job would be great if it wasn't for the parents.
It is my opinion of the truth but I believe if you polled ten thousand providers who had five years of experience, they would cite parents as the impediment to their enjoyment of their job.Comment
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The hypothetical or unknown refers to the subordinate clause...no parents...not the main clause your job would be great. The hypothetical is that you care for children with no parents. The fact that it is your truth that your job would be great is not the hypothetical part. Again, this is from a math major, not an English major, but this is the way I remember things from high school. However, language has become much more informal now, so maybe it is ok.Comment
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