"It's just another manic Monday
Wish it was Sunday"
- Bangles
Were, were, were. The "was" in that song makes me cringe. "Wish it were Sunday" is grammatically correct, but almost no one knows it. The subjunctive mood in English has nearly died.
A mood is the form a verb takes to express a condition. With the subjunctive mood, that condition expresses suggestions, wishes, uncertainty, or possibility. In the song, since it's Monday rather than Sunday, "were" is grammatically correct to express a wish rather than reality.
The subjunctive form applies usually to the verb "to be," as shown below.
A mood is the form a verb takes to express a condition. With the subjunctive mood, that condition expresses suggestions, wishes, uncertainty, or possibility. In the song, since it's Monday rather than Sunday, "were" is grammatically correct to express a wish rather than reality.
The subjunctive form applies usually to the verb "to be," as shown below.
Certain words and phrases are clues that the subjunctive mood may apply in the sentence.
Some verbs also require the subjunctive form, especially when followed by the word "that."
Particular fixed expressions are also in the subjunctive, including: as it were, be that as it may, far be it from me, heaven forbid, if need be, so be it, suffice it to say, heaven help us, perish the thought, and come what may.
If you remember nothing else about the subjunctive mood, keep in mind that it often expresses a wish rather than a reality. Let's go back to song lyrics: "If I were a rich man" is correct. "Wish it was Monday" is not.
If you remember nothing else about the subjunctive mood, keep in mind that it often expresses a wish rather than a reality. Let's go back to song lyrics: "If I were a rich man" is correct. "Wish it was Monday" is not.
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