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 

Explanations

Exercises