It *was* written by Americans, after all...

(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:19, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Tsktsk.
Though I have to say if I had perhaps taken a different path in life I wouldn't have had a clue what it was...
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:21, Reply)

Anything
that suggests you sign off your letters with 'yours truly' cannot be trusted for a second.

I have to say I would have thought it should be 'was' rather than 'were', though.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:23, Reply)

Now I'm confused
I've got 3 people who think it should be 'were,' and one person and a computer program who think it should be 'was.' Though the program and one of the three are both forrins...

See, I think I should use the sunjunctive because the sentence is in some sort of conditional tense.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:28, Reply)

I looked it up
Apparently as a counterfactual statement it should take the subjunctive.
www.ceafinney.com/subjunctive/guide.html

It is as though she were here.
We know she is not here, but it seems so.

So I guess "I know I've not moved out, but it seems so" fits that example.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:39, Reply)

I think you're right
But that's one of your old rules. These days is more flexible and if you're not being formal then you can use "was"
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:41, Reply)

Well, I am being formal
Formal enough to cunt them right in the fuck. "Were" it is.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 6 Sep 2010, 10:49, Reply)