"if" sentences and the use of "were".

[curiousone2009]

do you always use were in if sentences on fiction/impossibilites? i have doubts on this because i got from a grammer book that you should use present tense in if sentences if there is possibility to the idea proposed.

[Tdol]

English Conditionals: An Introduction - Articles - UsingEnglish.com
English Conditionals: First Conditional - Articles - UsingEnglish.com
English Conditionals: Second Conditional - Articles - UsingEnglish.com

[Rover_KE]

Curiousone, please use correct capitalisation and punctuation in your posts.

I know you can do this because you did it here.

Rover

[curiousone2009]

Ok, I read the examples. Doesn't exactly answer my question though.


ex: "If the story were true, it would show that my people are at least capable of generousity and kindness." The speaker have doubts about the story. And were is used, but this is an uncertainty. Can you use is also , or you shouldn't since you have no idea whether it is true or not, only use present tense if you know what you are saying have a possibility of being true?

[TheParser]

do you always use were in if sentences on fiction/impossibilites? i have doubts on this because i got from a grammer book that you should use present tense in if sentences if there is possibility to the idea proposed.

NOT A TEACHER


(1) AT A BIG PARTY OF 500 PEOPLE.

Tom: Is Mona here?

Sue: I don't know. There are so many people here that it's hard to know who is here and who isn't. But if she is here, you will have no problem in picking her out of the crowd.

Tom: Why?

Sue: Because she always wears that crazy-looking red hat to parties.

***

(2)

Jane: You hurt my feelings at the party yesterday.

Joe: I did?

Jane: Yes, you were very rude to me at the party.

Joe: I don't think that I was. But I know that sometimes I lose my temper. I want you to know that if I was rude (it was possible), I now apologize.

Jane: Thank you. That makes me feel better.

***
(3) George: My family and I are going to Paris this summer.

Jim: That's great.

George: Do you want to come with us? It'll only cost you $3,000 for the whole month.

Jim: Thanks, dude. But I have to save every penny for my college education. If I were rich (I am not), then $3,000 would mean very little to me. But since I am not rich, I need that $3,000 for college. Send me a postcard of the Eiffel Tower!