![]() These ’90s favorites aren’t exactly wrong. Well, let’s face it: some of our favorite songs are chock full of grammatical errors. I wish I were older-I really want my own car!īut, wait a second! Skee-Lo sang “I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller …” and Pearl Jam’s “Wishlist” is littered with variations of I wish I was.My mother was a great baker, and I wish I were more like her.I wish I were joking, but I really did crush the cake as it was coming out of the oven.The subjunctive refers to words that describe doubtful situations-like wishes for things that aren’t real! That’s why you’ll see I wish I were used in these examples: Take your grammar game to the next level with your own personal Grammar Coach™! Get started now for free! How to use I wish I were in a sentence Were is always correct in the past subjunctive.įor example, I wish I were on a beach right now with a pile of books is something a dedicated bibliomaniac might say, and we’d love to join them! If you want to get a little more formal about it, the past indicative is used for ordinary objective statements or questions, and past subjunctive is used for imaginary or hypothetical statements or questions. I wish I were is actually the preference of grammar experts because you’re talking about something that hasn’t actually occurred. So, what happens when you’re talking about I wish I were … ? I is a first person singular pronoun, which is what makes using were seem confusing. ![]() Were you looking for more? You can read all about were and was here, in our guide to these two versions of to be. We use was, on the other hand, when we’re using the first person singular pronoun I or using the third person singular such as he or she.įor example, you wouldn’t say, “You was going to the store.” You would say, “You were going to the store.”īut you would say, “I was going to the store,” rather than “I were going to the store.” It is also used with select first and third person plural pronouns such as we, they. But were is usually used in relation to second person singular and plural pronouns such as you, your, yours. ![]() Were and was are both past tense versions of the verb to be. You’re texting your buddy, and you type out “I wish I were.” But there’s that pesky autocorrect, trying to change it to “I wish I was.” Is autocorrect ducking with you, or are you about to commit a grammar faux pas? What is the difference between were and was? ![]()
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