2007-03-14 20:21:57 · 12 answers · asked by anaisha j 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
if I were in your place....
2007-03-14 20:32:58 · answer #1 · answered by marco 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were in your place....
2007-03-14 20:25:55 · answer #2 · answered by JS 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were in your place is correct.
The use of were here indicates the unreal or the impossible, as in "if I were you". I am not you and could never be you, hence we use were to indicate that.
However, common usage has blurred the lines between these two forms and "was" is now commonly accepted, especially in spoken English.
In formal or written use, you must use "were", otherwise, speak as you are spoken to.
Chris Violet is quite right. Most native speakers wouldn't have the faintest idea what the difference was, however, they could tell you that were sounds more formal than was.
2007-03-14 20:47:44 · answer #3 · answered by Bethany 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I "WAS" in your place
2007-03-14 20:24:01 · answer #4 · answered by andrew n 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"if I were in your place".
2007-03-14 20:24:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The English usage and technicalities mentioned in several explanations for the answer to be 'were' are well founded. BUT one could refer to a sentence such as "If I was in your place today, you would have known it."
One sense refers to being in one's 'shoes' as it were - oy - pardon the 'were' pun - the other refers to being in a person's home or established residence.
Neither is relevant to the other, BUT it's an example that displays that either usage is viable.
2007-03-18 17:58:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The right sentence is " If I was in your place.."
2007-03-14 20:28:38 · answer #7 · answered by mehran m 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Both are correct. Technically speaking, some believe that when 'were' is used it means that the speaker believes that this situation is unlikely. On the other hand, when 'was' is used, they believe that this is a possibility.
'If I were to win a million dollars...' I really don't think it will happen to me, but, if it did....
"If I was to win a million dollars..." it could happen to me and I would...
Personally, I don't think native English speakers think so much about it and that the meaning is basically undifferentiated. Usage is probably based more on local usage than anything else.
Native speakers of English (who haven't studied teaching English as a second or foreign language) probably have no idea what this question means. I rest my case.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_sentence
BUT really, I don't think modern day English differentiates.
2007-03-14 20:33:12 · answer #8 · answered by chrisviolet4011 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It should be 'were' (subjunctive).
I have taken it upon myself to use my powers of elimination and have zapped all the answers that said it should be 'was'.
Such is the power of Orange!
.
2007-03-15 02:41:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're both right, in their own way. Were just sounds fancier.
See my source for details.
2007-03-14 20:25:18 · answer #10 · answered by p37ry 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋