Why do we use wasn't not weren't here with delays ?

[abo.omar]

If it wasn't for those delays on the motorways, we would never have missed the wedding.
Why do we use wasn't not weren't here with delays?

 

[emsr2d2]

If it wasn't for those delays on the motorways, we would never have missed the wedding.
Why do we use wasn't not weren't here with delays?

I would use "weren't" (subjunctive after "If"). I would change "never" to "not".

In real life, I'd say "If it hadn't been for those delays on the motorway, we'd have made it to the wedding".

 

[abo.omar]

I would use "weren't" (subjunctive after "If"). I would change "never" to "not".

In real life, I'd say "If it hadn't been for those delays on the motorway, we'd have made it to the wedding".

Does the picture of the dictionary say we can use the three forms or I misunderstand it ?

 

[emsr2d2]

View attachment 4135

Does the picture [STRIKE]of[/STRIKE] from the dictionary say we can use the three forms or did I misunderstand it?

The dictionary entry does say that.

 

[TheParser]

View attachment 4134
Why do we use wasn't not weren't here with delays?

NOT A TEACHER

Abo.omar, I cannot find the source, but I have read that nowadays some (many?) native speakers prefer to use the subjunctive "weren't" only for the present and the indicative "wasn't" for the past.

Thus: "We missed the wedding. Darn it! If it wasn't for the delays on the freeway that day, we would have arrived on time."

Thus: "I just can't get Mona to go to the movies with me. If I weren't so shy, I am sure that I could get her to accept my invitation."

 

[abo.omar]

NOT A TEACHER

Abo.omar, I cannot find the source, but I have read that nowadays some (many?) native speakers prefer to use the subjunctive "weren't" only for the present and the indicative "wasn't" for the past.

Thus: "We missed the wedding. Darn it! If it wasn't for the delays on the freeway that day, we would have arrived on time."

Thus: "I just can't get Mona to go to the movies with me. If I weren't so shy, I am sure that I could get her to accept my invitation."

Sorry to say that I do not find these rules in grammar book, but that is the fact.

 

[5jj]

Sorry to say that I do not find these rules in grammar book, but that is the fact.

They were not 'rules'. TheParser was giving his impression of what some (many?) native speakers say today.

This may be true of speakers of AmE. My impression is that most speakers of BrE would say (retaining TheParser's AmE vocabulary).


"We missed the wedding. Darn it! If it hadn't been for the delays on the freeway that day, we would have arrived on time."
"I just can't get Mona to go to the movies with me. If I wasn't so shy, I am sure that I could get her to accept my invitation."


I would use weren't in the second one, but I am well past my best-by date.