<p>I just wanna clear some things. </p>
<p>If I were tall, I would be happy.
If I was tall, I would be happy. </p>
<p>I know it's first one but why exactly. </p>
<p>This is in a summer reading book and it doesnt make sense to me. </p>
<p>The frozen contents of the vials was being thawed and ....</p>
<p>Shouldn't it be were? Or is this a special case?</p>
<p>And anything else to kno about was/were? Thanks.</p>
<p>i'm not sure, but i think "was being" changes it to something else. Because was is a form of "to be" but i don't really know what that makes it then :P</p>
<p>First one: subjunctive.
Second one: misprint</p>
<p>correct me if I'm wrong.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The frozen contents of the vials was being thawed and ....
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That sentence isn't in the subjunctive, so that's a mistake. It should be "were."</p>
<p>nbafan135, when writing in subjunctive (assuming something untrue or very unlikely to happen), all tenses in the sentence go "backwards". So when talking about something present, you should use the simple past verb instead. You already know this. But if I remember it right, the simple past tense of "be" in subjunctive is ALWAWYS "were," even if the subject is singular.</p>
<p>When you say "If I were tall" you're assuming that you aren't tall, but if you were, you would be happy. </p>
<p>If I were king, no one would pay retail. (I'm not king.)
If she were older, she'd know better. (She's not older.)
We could go shopping if it were Saturday. (Today is not Saturday.)</p>
<p>Not all if statements fall into this category, only those that are undeniably contrary to fact.</p>
<p>If I was rude, I apologize. (I may have been rude.)
If she was there, I guess I missed her. (She may have been there.)
If it was Thursday, I must have gone to bed early. (It may have been Thursday.)</p>
<p>I wish I were in Paris. (I'm not.)
They wish he weren't so obnoxious. (He is so obnoxious.)
She wishes New York were clearner. (NY isn't cleaner.)</p>
<ul>
<li>taken from Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to English in Plain English.</li>
</ul>
<p>The second one should be were as it's refering to a plural noun.</p>
<p>so this is correct..</p>
<p>If i were you, i would confess.</p>
<p>wavvy, can you please give an example of what youre saying?</p>
<p>dchow- ohhhhh thanks a lot. that cleared soo much. </p>
<p>ivy- yes</p>
<p>"She wishes New York were clearner."
lol. I wish for that too.</p>