If I were you or if I was you
Which to use – if I were you or if I was you?
We often use the structure “if I were you….” to give advice:
- If I were you I would see a doctor.
This is considered to be formal and correct. Grammatically it is known as the subjunctive mood.
Increasingly you also find the phrase if I was you used. Here Past Simple form of be is used. But there are people who say that this phrase is incorrect and would never use it.
- If I were you I would call her. → subjunctive mood
- If I was you I would call her. → past simple