A recent and popular self-help book

[dkrueger5]

A recent and popular self-help book wryly notes that if adolescence was not so painful, it would have a droll comedic aspect, at least in retrospect.
was not so painful, it
was not so painful, they
were not so painful, they
were not so painful, it
were not so painful, being one

The correct answer to this question was D) based on based on pronoun agreement (understand this part), as well as "The "if" clause properly uses the subjunctive mood, "if adolescence were.""

Please explain why adolesence is followed by "were" as opposed to "was." I think I'm off on my understanding of subjunctive mood.

Thanks for your help.

[messi10]

Hi,

This has been discussed here:

post20896.html?hilit=A%20recent%20and%20popular%20self%20help%20book%20wryly#p20896

and here

subjunctive-subject-verb-agreement-t12915.html

Regards

Sunil

[dkrueger5]

Didn't see that before. Makes sense now. Thanks!

[jnelson0612]

Thanks!