A few days ago
Anonymous

English Grammar?

What is the RIGHT way to say this:

(a) If I were young, things would be different.

(b) If I was young, things would be different.

I say (a). You?

Top 6 Answers
A few days ago
Ozymandius

Favorite Answer

none of the above:

(a) is technically right … but in English, the subjunctive is obsolete; and this in is just one last vestige of that tense.

If I hadn’t grown older, things would be different.

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A few days ago
sharmel
You are correct, it is the subjunctive tense, in which you are speculating on possibilities based on a situation different from the one that actually exists.

There is a subtle difference between that and a different scenario where, let’s say somebody might have said “I turned up at the party last night. I thought you were going to be there” and I replied “No, if I WAS going I would have told you”. It’s not “speculative” I am saying “this is precisely what I would have done”.

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A few days ago
Kimmiehh?
I say Niether.

(C) If I were Younger, Things would be different.

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A few days ago
Anonymous
a
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A few days ago
missourim43
a
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A few days ago
LMJ25
I say (a) too.
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