This is a tricky issue, because second and third conditionals are in the subjunctive form. The subjunctive form for all English verbs is the same as the past tense (this rule is followed in several languages), except for "to be", which becomes "were". As a verb, "to be" tends to ignore many rules which other verbs follow. That's just how it rolls. As to the growing use of "was" for the subjunctive form, speakers have basically become lazy and thoughtless. This is my own solution to the problem (criticisms welcome): - when you admit that the "if" part is completely fictional and unreal, use "were". - if you consider the "if" part to be a real possibility, use "was". An example: "If I were Noah, I would simply take a pair of each species onto the ark. This way, if Darwin was right, each represented species would evolve into a whole new family of creatures."

Language is a true democracy; if most of the people say it then by default it becomes acceptable because in a democracy the majority rules, even if the rule is being broken, we accept it or say it's not formal or that it's informal. What you were taught in schools was true; "were" is always correct in conditional sentences. But again, I hear a lot of Americans say "was". Good question!

to make it simple but nt completely accurate :) "were" is used when something is not propable or possible to happen ,,if I were a ship or if I were tere and I am acctually not there at the moment.etc NAturally there is an over lap but you dont have to confuse things. :) good luck

Zahra, Who are you going to believe your teachers or the Oxford people? In informal contexts you can feel safe using WAS. Who decides what is formal use and what is informal use? You do! *Anything related to school work and grammar examinations should be considered formal. :) I copied this from the large Oxford English Grammar published in 1996. "The past indicative WAS is more usual than subjunctive were in contexts that are not formal. If the verb in the conditional clause of a present or future hypothetical condition is be, subjunctive WERE is sometimes used instead of indicative WAS in the conditional clause, particularly in more formal contexts." WERE is used in formal contexts in the following expressions. If Shakespeare were alive today.... as it were as if it were as though I were In informal contexts: If Shakesperare was alive today... as it was as if it was as though it was Grammar rules are only an attempt to classify actual usage.

Were is for plural and was is for singular. That's it I think