'If I were'

[andmaste]

My English teacher, many years ago, told me that it is right to say 'If I was', not 'If I were'.
But I noticed that 'If I were' is very often used, especially in the songs (the last one is 'If I Were A Boy' by Beyonce).
My English teacher would be very angry.

Why is it so common say 'If I were'?
And, if an English pupil writes it in his homeworks, would his teacher give him a bad vote?

[Corina]

I`m curious about this too, especially as I also had severe English teachers in school! I even saw this expression in a PSB song, I can`t remember now which one.

[Dipso]

"If I were..." is actually grammatically correct. It is the subjunctive, describing a hypothetical situation ie. Beyonce's If I Were A Boy.

"If I was..." is often used in informal English, however. It has become acceptable over time, hence Neil's "If I was you" line in I'm Not Scared.

[Corina]

Thanks Dipso, for both explaining and for remembering me of "I`m not scared"!

[Hillbilly]

I know about the subjunctive thing, but what about these:

George Harrison: the song title "When We Was Fab"
Paul McCartney: the song title "Man We Was Lonely"
John Lennon: the lyric "thought that you was trying to hide" from "Jealous Guy"

Is it a coincidence that all these examples come from members of The Beatles? Maybe it's just The Liverpudlian Way...

[Loins Of London]

Is it a coincidence that all these examples come from members of The Beatles? Maybe it's just The Liverpudlian Way...

I have these 'debates' with my fella all the time. He's from Yorkshire and almost always uses 'was'. I'm frequently appalled but he simply retorts 'It's a Northern thing!'

Then I remember Midge Ure's If I Was....

[psb-freak]

But were is like in plural. So it´s tsill gotta be I was. But in one interview Neil says "I wish I were". When asked about being rich.

[Corina]

But were is like in plural. So it´s tsill gotta be I was. But in one interview Neil says "I wish I were". When asked about being rich.

For us, the non-native English speakers, is a bit difficult to understand this!

[Loins Of London]

For us, the non-native English speakers, is a bit difficult to understand this!

You mean like psb-freak?

[Corina]

For us, the non-native English speakers, is a bit difficult to understand this!

You mean like psb-freak?

I mean, I`m a non-native English speaker - just like Milla! But I`m trying to do my best to cope with this place!

[Loins Of London]

For us, the non-native English speakers, is a bit difficult to understand this!

You mean like psb-freak?

I mean, I`m a non-native English speaker - just like psb-freak

I hear you.

[Hillbilly]

Then I remember Midge Ure's If I Was....

And we have PSB's Noel Coward cover "If love were all".

Still Neil prefers "if I was you" as in "I'm not scared".

[Loins Of London]

But in one interview Neil says "I wish I were". When asked about being rich.

If I Were A Rich Man was high on Neil's list of potential cover versions until Gwen Stefani put paid to that.

Still Neil prefers "if I was you" as in "I'm not scared".

Which is grammatically incorrect. I guess he just thought it scanned better. Personally, I think he was wrong. Or should that be 'were' wrong?

[Corina]

To sum up, "if I were" is correct... I bet that most non-Brits here used to think this about "if I was" - before they read this thread... And Andrea is right, this subjunctive rule is little known outside Britain, especially in Latin countries.

[Postscript]

I always say 'if I were'..