Identify the sentence that correctly uses the subjunctive mood in counterfactual conditional prose.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. If the museum director were available, she would address the preservation symposium.
- Step 1: In hypothetical or counterfactual conditions (second conditional), the past subjunctive 'were' is required for all persons (including singular third-person).
- Step 2: The main clause requires conditional auxiliary 'would + base verb'.
Answer
If the museum director were available, she would address the preservation symposium.
Why not the others: 'was' is informal indicative; 'would be' in the if-clause is non-standard; 'will' creates mixed conditional mismatch.
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