Use the subjunctive in a clause introduced by if (e.g. if he were) when the clause expresses a hypothetical situation that is unlikely or clearly not true.
- If he were riding his bike, I would have seen him go by my window. But I didn’t.
- If I were you, I wouldn’t take that job.
Use the indicative in a clause introduced by if (e.g. if he was) when the clause describes something factual or likely to happen.
- If he was outside when the storm struck, he must have gotten wet.
- If Sue was hoping to win the prize, she’s going to be disappointed.
Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Search by related themes
Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.
Related links
- Writing Tips Plus (home page)
- Writing tools
- Language Navigator (for fast access to language tips)
- TERMIUM Plus®