English Grammar

If I were you

We often use the structure If I were you … to give advice.

• If I were you, I would accept that job.

If I was you … is also possible, but some people consider it incorrect.

If only

If only …! means the same as I wish …

tenses

After if only …! we use a past tense to talk about the present.

• If only I was better-looking!

We can use were instead of was.

• If only I were better looking.

To refer to the future, we use would + infinitive.

• If only it would stop raining, we could go out.

To refer to the past, we use had + past participle.

• If only she hadn’t told the police, everything would have been all right.

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