Was Were Hypothetical Grammar?

Here's a tip: These phrases are never correct: I wish I was, I wish it was, he wishes he was, she wishes she was. Always remember this rule about the usage of was and were: use were with expressions that are hypothetical, wishful, imagined, desired, doubtful, and otherwise contrary to fact—that is to say, not real.

Were or was for hypothetical grammar?

Was is used in the first and third person singular past. It is used for statements of fact. Were is used in the second person singular and plural and first and third person plural. It is used in the subjunctive mood to indicate unreal or hypothetical statements.

When to use was and were?

If you want to remember easily, you can think of was/were as the past tense form of the auxiliary verbs am, is and are. Generally, “was is used for singular objects and “were” is used for plural objects. So, you will use “was” with I, he, she and it while you will use “were” with you, we and they.