Grammar anyone?

Fatfreek

I posted something earlier today and wasn't real comfortable with my sentence construction. So here are two sentences for you. Is either not correct? Or are both of them correct?

If I was there we could work together.

If I were there we could work together.

I found GrammarStation.com and placed them, one at a time, into the test field -- then got some kind of complex response that I couldn't follow.

I then tried my Word 2003 and it didn't reject either of them. What do you think?

Fats

skyman

I have a hard time with grammer but I think If I was there we could work together

AuldSoul

Sometimes, the proper grammar becomes more easy to see with an inverted sentence.

The subjunctive "were" would be the appropriate usage if describing an occurrence presupposed to be contrary to fact. You are not there (wherever "there" is) and are musing about what could occur if you were there, so in this instance "were" would be the best choice.

We could work together if I were there.

If I were there, we could work together.

Respectfully,
AuldSoul

voltaire

'Were' has a bit more formal air to it, while 'was' is more relaxed/less formal. Linguists don't generally like to say what is correct or incorrect. If a native speaker thinks it's right, then it is. In that sense, they're both OK. Your stuffy English teacher from high school would (probably) tell you that 'were' is correct.

Nina

Yayyyyy AuldSoul!!!

Nina

rekless

ponder this, Was is singular and were is plural; therefore, I was there, and we were there.

minimus

Auld Soul is correct but you might want to get Terry's opinion.

Nina

ponder this, Was is singular and were is plural; therefore, I was there, and we were there.

But the artistry, man, consider the artistry! Whatever you like; whatever sounds the best to you!

Fecklessly tripping over cases,

Nina

John Doe

"ponder this, Was is singular and were is plural; therefore, I was there, and we were there."

Yes, but as pointed out, when using the subjunctive mood, the plural construction is used regardless of the subject. So, "were" is the correct word in a "prescriptive" or "standard" grammar sense, whereas "was" is the "actual" grammar that seems to be most common, in my experience.

Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put. ;-)

AuldSoul

voltaire: If a native speaker thinks it's right, then it is. In that sense, they're both OK.

I agree with your point completely, voltaire. Language is for communicating ideas, not for precise pedantry—which can sometimes cloud the semantics, thus ruining communication and destroying the purpose of language.

If fatfreek hadn't asked for the proper grammatical usage, I would have posted along the lines of your thought.

Respectfully,
AuldSoul (of the "Don't Always Use Proper Grammar" class)

Grammar anyone?

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