everyone were or everyone was?

Question

While being handed a job today would be nice, it would be miserable if everyone were told what job they had to do and had to stick with it. Should it be "if everyone were told what job" or "if everyone was told what job"? I'm really not sure.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Well it might not mean anything to you but I am a teacher… in this particular case you should say… everyone were… Just checked with my hubby who is also a professional and he agrees.  Hope that helps!

Miss Leta Strosin · Answer

The every in everyone means all - more than one (plural) so:everyone were told what jobIf it was meant to be singular – everyone would be changed to each one, and so then it would be:each one was told what job

Dr. Trinity Kuvalis · Answer

Goodness gracious. Quite a puzzler you have there.
If we were talking about something factual, it would be “was.” — “At four o’clock, everyone was told to go to the conference room.”
But when you’re talking about something that isn’t actually going to happen, that’s the subjunctive mood and requires “were.” “It would be misery if everyone were told…” (which is to say, they are not being told what to do.)
“The subjunctive mood is employed to express a contition contrary to fact.”*
My mnemonic for remembering this—in Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye sings “If I Were a Rich Man,” because he’s not rich.

Anonymous · Answer

everyone was( the sublect(noun is ploral so the action(verb) has 2 be single(in other words u are talkin 2 the group as one)

Mitchell Legros I · Answer

https://shorturl.im/avx50
pangel gets my vote-i wouldnt want everyone to be me-have a star—-smile and enjoy the holidays

D&#039;angelo Cormier · Answer

was told what job he had to stay with…..
since we don’t have a gender neutral pronoun, but wish we did, we do tend to say “they” but formally, everyone is a singular and so you have to use he or “he or she” to be grammatically  correct.

Anonymous · Answer

if everyone was told what job

Anonymous · Answer

if someone done told alls you all

Anonymous · Answer

everyone was

Dr. Daija Conn · Answer

everyone was

Anonymous

everyone were or everyone was?

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