If your answer "were" or "was" the photos, which is correct?

Question

We all know that the verb in sentence shall to be conjugate according to its subject. In the sentence

"If your answer were the photos"

we have a simple subject (answer), so we shall say:

"If your answer was the photos".

Ok?

But I've read lots of texts where are written in the first form: "if your answer for that were the photos you sent, so I thank you..."

My point is: which is the correct according to the English Grammar and why?

Answer 1

You can use both, but it's not a question of "subject/verb" agreement!
It's linked to "If" as in "If I were you". It's just a matter of feasability of the action (is it very probable or not).
As for the "subject/verb" agreement, it has to be "was" because the only subject is "your answer" and if you had to change the end of the sentence by a singular noun "a photo", it'd stay the same!
Hope it helps!

Answer 2

the correct way to put it would be if your answer was the photos. this is correct because the photos are acting as one in the situation: THE ANSWER. were is a verb that is used in the plural, and was is used in the singular. I have been taking french classes for years and grammar rules are very strict. It is the same way in English and French.

Answer 3

Were usually refers to plural. Was singular.
There are exceptions. Such as conditional, "If I were YOU".

If it, (singular), were true, Was true could also be used.
Only English is so confusing, but, what can you expect? Started way back from Low German, through the Romance languages, to the present day. It's getting to the point I don't understand English any longer.

Answer 4

I think it's "were" the photos 'cuz I think it sounds better and my best subject is language arts/english/liternature/whatever you call it lol.