Svitlana
Why does she use verb" were" in "If I were a boy" by Beyonce? If I were a boy Even just for a day I'd roll out of bed in the morning.
Jan 31, 2016 1:58 PM
Answers · 6
1
This is an example of the subjunctive mood in English, which is rare. We use it to state something that is contrary to fact. When she says "If I were a boy" she is actually a girl, so she is imagining she were a boy. It's rare and many people would just say "If I was a boy," which is technically wrong but common.
January 31, 2016
1
If I were a boy/If she were here/if it were to happen .. If starts off a conditional sentence as in > If you like it / if I give you... But, we use "were" to show that that condition cannot be fulfilled .Its not so much as about something in the past , but rather the impossibility / unlikelihood of it happening. If I were a boy > She cant be a boy If you were here> You cant because you are somewhere else noe . If it were to happen ,.> it didn't happen , you just want to make a point if it happened. If it/she/they /you >> were ( for singular and plural pronouns )
January 31, 2016
Maria, I'm grateful you for your help. Maria, could you say where looking for this rule.Thanks in advance.
January 31, 2016
Hello there! It is the rule of conditional sentences. In conditional sentence type 2, instead of using "was" after "I", we use "were". Hopefully it helps! :)
January 31, 2016
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!