Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 09:29:33 -0500

From: "Kathleen M. O'Neill" koneil1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UIC.EDU

Subject: Re: as it were



I believe it's NEAL McCoy. :-)



--Kate



I have heard the phrase, "as it were," such as, "The ball was round, as it

were." The question I have, though, stems from the use of the plural

past tense "were." If it were to be "grammatically" correct, would that

not be "as it was"? Or is this a regional type of thing? Just a thought!



if i were you, i'd check out "subjunctive mood" in a handbook of

english. then again, when i look it up in _the modern writer's

handbook_, i see, "the subjunctive mood is falling into disuse." witness

dilbert mccoy's current hit (country song), "if i was a drinkin' man."



sylvia swift

madonna[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]violet.berkeley.edu