Which sounds better?
"If I WAS to do this experiment again, I would change the regular (plain) water to salt water."
OR
"If I WERE to do this experiment again, I would change the regular (plain) water to salt water."
were
Ana is right. In an "if" clause, we use the subjunctive "were."
The correct sentence is: "If I WERE to do this experiment again, I would change the regular (plain) water to salt water."
In this case, "were" is used in the subjunctive mood to express a hypothetical or unreal condition. It indicates a statement that is contrary to reality or that is uncertain. In the past, there was a grammar rule that stated that "was" was correct for both singular and plural subjects in the subjunctive mood. However, this rule has evolved, and "were" is now generally accepted as the correct form for all subjects in the subjunctive mood.
To determine whether to use "was" or "were" in the subjunctive mood, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the introductory clause that expresses a hypothetical, unreal, or contrary-to-fact condition. In this case, it is "If I were to do this experiment again."
2. Determine the subject of the introductory clause. Here, it is "I."
3. Check whether the subject is singular or plural. In this case, "I" is singular.
4. Use "was" if the subject is singular, and use "were" if the subject is plural.