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 English Tip of the Week
Oscar Mayer Wieners and the Subjunctive Mood
An E-Newsletter fan came across this sentence:
If I were very lucky, I would get the chance to go. She asked, “Shouldn't I be followed by was, not were, since I is singular?”
Let me answer that by asking you a question: Are you old enough to remember the ad jingle that began, "I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener..."? These two sentences are both examples of the subjunctive mood, which refers to the expression of a hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory thought. The subjunctive mood pairs singular subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs. The subjunctive is often used in "that" and "if" clauses.
Examples:
She requested that he raise his hand.
If I were rich, I'd sail around the world.
Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the example above, where a request or wish is being expressed, he raise, the subjunctive mood is correct. In the second example, a wish contrary to fact is being expressed; therefore, were, which we normally think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular subject I.
The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in formal speech and writing.
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Pop Quiz
Correct the verbs in the following sentences as needed.
- If I was you, I'd think twice before dropping out of school.
- Oliver wishes he was older so that he could drive.
- If I was stronger, I would have won that race.
- I wish Alberto was able to come to the party.
- If she was truly your friend, she wouldn’t talk behind your back.
- He wishes he was in a position to give his employees raises.
Take An Online Quiz
Try this Online Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz. Get explanations and your score instantly!
Corrections 
After last week's E-Newsletter, I received a number of e-mails from sharp-eyed, grammar-savvy E-newsletter readers regarding my use of March 4th rather than March 4 in my invitation to celebrate National Grammar Day. Amy K. pointed out that I contradicted my own examples (Rule 8).
You are right! What is my excuse? Authorities allow for this exception, as Amy also noted, with wedding invitations and other special events. I considered National Grammar Day special enough to bend the rule. However, this is not a very good excuse from someone who is supposed to represent high standards of English usage. So, please accept my apologies for misleading you. To those who questioned me, THANK YOU. I appreciate your taking the time to write.
Also, thanks to Rhonda C. for letting me know that the quiz you were led to was a duplicate from the prior week’s E-Newsletter. I’ll try to keep better tabs on this. However, perhaps not all of you have the time to take a quiz every week, so it might not be repetitive to everyone. Plus, how many of us remember all the right answers to a quiz after a week? Remember, you can always take free quizzes online.
Due to the E-Newsletter's large readership, we are unable to respond to individual English usage questions.
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 Wordplay
Thanks to Dan for sending these along.
Why do we say that we’re getting on an airplane when we get into the airplane?
Why don't you ever see the headline “Psychic Wins Lottery”?
Pop Quiz Answers
- If I were you, I'd think twice before dropping out of school.
- Oliver wishes he were older so that he could drive.
- If I were stronger, I would have won that race.
- I wish Alberto were able to come to the party.
- If she were truly your friend, she wouldn’t talk behind your back.
- He wishes he were in a position to give his employees raises.
Learn all about who and whom, affect and effect, subjects and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and much more by just sitting back and enjoying these easy-to-follow lessons. Tell your colleagues (and boss), children, teachers, and friends. Click here to watch. |
