was

严格地说，在虚拟过去式里该用were。例如：If he were ten years older, he would understand it better. 和I wish I were ten years younger. 但假使那主语是单数，现在（尤其在口语里）往往用was。例如：If he was ten years older, he would understand it better. 和I wish I wasten years younger. 下面几点该注意：

（1）在英国只说if I were you，在美国往往说if I was you。

（2）as it were里的were不可改作was。as it was和as it were意思不同，参见as 25

（3）If he were ten years older, he would understand it better里的were可以改作was，但Were he ten years older, he would understand it better里的Were不可改作Was。

（4）否定词wasn't比weren't普通。

（5）if...were to...（不定式）着重在“设想”，if...was to...（不定式）着重在“预定”。例如：

• If she were to call, tell her to wait.
• If she was to be advised, it should be done with tact.

（6）关于as if和as though后面的用were或was，参见as 18

（7）下面两句里的was是陈述过去式，不是虚拟过去式，当然不可改作were：

• He used to wait for me if I was not at home when he called.
• If he was there that evening, I did not see him.

（8）下面两句里的was都用在属于过去时态的间接疑问句里，不该改作were。英美人也有用were的，但现在似乎比从前少：

• He asked her whether she was aware of it.
• She wondered if I was not talking nonsense.

（9）下面两句里的was是为了时态的呼应而用的，不可改作were：

He would like to know that his son was likely to be elected.

If I could drive a car, I should feel that I was doing something great. 事实上第一句的was改作is普通些，第二句的was改作am普通些。