IF I WAS or IF I WERE
If I was
This is a situation that could have happened. That’s because it has an ‘if’ clause. If the situation has happened, the result will follow. For example –
- I apologize if I wasn’t clear.
- If he wasn’t such a pain in the ass, we could take him along.
- If I was good, why don’t you select me?
As a general rule, use If I was + adjective + present tense (in the then clause). Each sentence above is true or real and the then clause has the result of the if clause. For example, if I wasn’t clear (which perhaps I wasn’t) – so I apologize. Same way, he probably is a ‘pain in the ass’ and hence we wouldn’t take him along. The third one is a question. We can as well say ‘If I was good, then select me’.
Use ‘if I was’ for real situations that are in indicative mood.
If I were
Used in a subjunctive mood, ‘if I were’ indicates an unreal situation. Something that can never happen. You are imagining a situation, that isn’t true yet or cannot be true.
- If I were Bill Gates, I would be the richest person in the world.
- If I were wrong, I would correct my mistakes.
- If I were invisible, I would steal a lot of chocolates from the supermarket.
Remember, these are hypothetical situations. In general, use If I were + noun + would
