Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

“If i was you …”
Verbosity about verbs: The big blunders

WISHFUL THINKING AND THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

Nine times out of ten, when someone starts off with, “If I was you,” they’re about to give you advice. And not only are you about to hear advice—maybe bad advice—but you’re hearing bad grammar. Being the courteous, rational person you probably are, I’m sure you listen despite the mood.

No, I’m not talking about whether you feel surly or sad. I’m talking about sentence moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.

Indicative-Mood Verbs, the Most Common,

Are Used to State Facts or Opinions or to Ask Questions:

Brunhilda chimes in too late on teleconferences.

Did Mortimer twiddle his thumbs rather than market the Webinar?

Imperative-Mood Verbs Give Commands:

Redesign our ad campaign before the Super Bowl.

Stop this nonsense and approve my million-dollar raise.

Close the door.

Subjunctive-Mood Sentences State Conditions That Are Contrary to Fact or Highly Unlikely (they also express strong wishes, demands, or commands, but more about that in the next chapter):

If she were a billionaire, she would fund cancer research. (She’s not a billionaire.)

If I were CEO of that company, I’d hire 200 more salespeople next month. (I’m not the CEO.)

Incorrect:

If I was you, I would resign.

Correct:

If I were you, I would resign. (I’m not you.)

Incorrect:

Pongo walked into the gym as if he was a Greek god.

Correct:

Pongo walked into the gym as if he were a Greek god. (He’s not a Greek god.)

In typical situations when the “if” part may actually be true, the verb following I or he/she remains was.

If Fritz was told about the trouble in Atlanta, I guess he forgot it. (He may have been told.)

If the caller was a client, Gertrude must have not recognized the name. (The caller may have been a client, but Gertrude still didn’t recognize the name.)

Memory tip

When you hear phrases like, “If I were you, what I’d do is …,” you know you’re about to get advice. What are you tempted to do with bad advice? Reverse it. Do the same with subjunctive-mood verbs in phrases such as “If I were you ….”