An unreal condition — Sentence Correction Aptitude Question
An unreal condition: Choose the correct sentence: Answer and worked solution on CodeKairo.
- Topic: Sentence Correction
- Section: Verbal Ability
- Difficulty: Medium
- Time target: 55 seconds
Question
Choose the correct sentence:
Options
- If I was you, I would accept the offer.
- If I were you, I would accept the offer.
- If I am you, I would accept the offer.
- If I were you, I will accept the offer.
Show the answer and the worked solution
Correct answer: B. If I were you, I would accept the offer.
Worked solution
- For a hypothetical condition, the subjunctive were is used with every subject.
- The main clause takes would, giving 'If I were you, I would accept'.
Answer: If I were you, I would accept the offer.
The idea
Second conditional: 'if + past subjunctive' with 'would' in the main clause. 'Will' belongs to the first conditional, which uses the present.
Shortcut. 'If I were you' is a fixed hypothetical formula that always pairs with 'would'. Two options have 'were', and 'will' knocks one of them out.
Common trap. "If I was you, I would accept the offer." — 'I was' is the normal past of 'be' and common in speech, but a hypothetical condition takes the subjunctive 'were' for every subject.