Robinson crusoe

[vinodjayachandran]

If a latter-day Robinson Crusoe was marooned on an island with an eclectic mix of palms, he could eat dates and coconut meat, relax in a palm recliner in his palm-post bungalow under a palm-thatch roof, buff his palm-plank surfboard with carnauba palm wax and watch a palm-fringed sunset.

A. If a latter-day Robinson Crusoe was marooned on an island with an eclectic mix of palms, he could eat dates and coconut meat, relax in a palm recliner in his palm-post bungalow under a palm-thatch roof,

B. If a latter-day Robinson Crusoe was marooned on an island with an eclectic mix of palms, he could eat dates and coconut meat, relaxing in a palm recliner in his palm-post bungalow under a palm-thatch roof,

C. If a latter-day Robinson Crusoe were marooned on an island with an eclectic mix of palms, he could eat dates and coconut meat, relax in a palm recliner in his palm-post bungalow under a palm-thatch roof,

D. If a latter-day Robinson Crusoe were marooned on an island with an eclectic mix of palms, he could eat dates and coconut meat, relaxing in a palm recliner in his palm-post bungalow under a palm-thatch roof,

[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']E. If a latter-day Robinson Crusoe was marooned on an island with an eclectic mix of palms, he could eat dates and coconut meat[/FONT]


[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']IMO ans is C. But i feel A. Somebody provide a valid explanation please[/FONT]

[tytyros]

If 'a' were 'b'

[samirnajeeb]

C ...

correct subjunctive mood
If a latter-day Robinson Crusoe were marooned

structurally parallel
he could eat dates and coconut meat, relax in a palm recliner ... buff his palm-plank ...

[shobuj40]

C ( if were construction) + parallelism

[mannu08]

yes, people when if is used were is used, I read it in nytimes also.
file://C:\Documents and Settings\M\Desktop\errant.jpeg

[vinodjayachandran]

If 'a' were 'b'

Here but I felt robinson crusoe as a single person or individual and felt "were" with a single individual is not very appropriate.

and in parellelism, how to eat goes fine RElaxing. "Relaxing is present continous" How is it appropriate ? Please explain more clearly

[Lhomme]

If I were rich, I would buy a mansion...is correct

[scorpion.ks]

IMO C
@vinodjayachandran / mannu08
its not about "if" with "were" or person being singular.

this is subjunctive mood sentence...that means...in case "if" is used to tell a situation which has not occurred and just imagined.....then way we say is.....

"if I were rich, I would buy a rolls royce".

Manhattan SC explains this very clearly. Thats what I think.

......what is the Official Answer btw?