- if.
- Problems often arise in deciding whether if is introducing a subjunctive clause ("If I were.. .") or an indicative one ("If I was.. ."). The distinction is straightforward. When if introduces a notion that is hypothetical or improbable or clearly untrue, the verb should be in the subjunctive: "If I were king.. ."; "If he were in your shoes.. ." But when the if is introducing a thought that is true or could well be true, the mood should be indicative: "If I was happy then, I certainly am not now." One small hint: if the sentence contains would or wouldn’t, the mood is subjunctive, as in "If I were you, I wouldn’t take the job."
Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors. 2013.