If I were a rich gal, Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum
When things get iffy, it sometimes helps to sing this song from Fiddler on the Roof.
"If" at the beginning of a sentence or clause oftentimes signals a statement that is contrary to fact. And when this subjunctive mood kicks into gear, the verb we need here is "were" instead of "was," regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural. The subjunctive uses the base form of the verb with all subjects.
"Wish" also tips off the subjunctive mood: "If wishes were horses..." but also "She wished he were more gregarious at these functions."
If that sounds clunky to you, ask yourself if the statements are true. Are wishes horses? Nope. Is he gregarious? Unfortunately, he is not. So the subjunctive is at play, and "were" swings into action.
If I were a better grammarian ... well, maybe if I keep reading the Grammar Hint.
Sandi Alswager Karstens
Communications Specialist
IANR News Service, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
(402) 472-9711
salswager2@unl.edu
