Was and Were

Like most grammatical rules that trip me up, I'm sure this is very basic stuff, but I need to ask anyway.

What is the difference between Was and Were, and when should I use each?

Take this paragraph from Richard Matheson's novel I Am Legend

Now I know that if I'd been writing this sentence I'd've wanted to say 'was', because that's how I'd say the sentence aloud. Why is 'were' correct here?

 

it's probably correct, though it certainly doesn't sound like it is... here's one explanation of the difference from writersdigest.com:

 

Thanks, mammamaia, but I'm still not sure I understand. Rather ironically in cases like this, if I understood the answer you've quoted, I wouldn't have had to ask the initial question. Subjunctive, Indicative... it's all too advanced for me, I'm afraid.

 

"subjunctive" just means hypothetical. ie, something that is just a possibility... So, it's usually preceded by "if I/he/she/it..."

Also, the use "were" for subjunctive is falling out of common use, so you can get away with saying it either way, really.

 

"I wished I were Santa, but I was not."

Would be correct?

Being Santa = Hypothetical
Is not Santa = Fact

 

Basically, if a statement starts with a wish or an if, most likely you will use were.

If I were to travel to Spain, I would . . .
I wish I were fifty-feet tall so I could squash the temple under foot.
I wished I were Santa. << I'm pretty sure "were" is used here not becaue Santa is unreal, but becaue I wished something.
I wished I were a cat.
I wished I were the president.
If I were a girl, I would . . .
He wished he were rich.
If she were to fall . . .

 

yes, horus... that's right...

 

I wondered if you were from northern England as soon as I saw the title of the the thread. I've got a mate from Liverpool and he has exactly the same problem. This doesn't help in any way, I just thought I'd mention it. Funnily enough, people from Leeds seem to say "were" all the time.