A friend is nearing the end of writing a book and writes me:

 

I have been going over my manuscript with a fine-toothed comb.  I paid a copy editor to correct the punctuation and usage, and today I  subscribed to the "Chicago Manual of Style" on line, for a 30 day trial.  But I have been finding inconsistencies in the copy editor's changes that the style manual doesn't exactly answer.  Right now I stuck on the use of "was" or "were" after an "if."  I always thought that it was the subjunctive and should be "if I were," etc.  However, the copy editor has changed my "were" every time.  Here's an example of his change: "Every time he drove up the winding driveway, Howard felt as if he was entering a baronial fiefdom."  Do you have any idea what the current usage is?  I'm very confused so if you have a clue, let me know.

 

I too would use the subjunctive (when it's contrary-to-fact).  What should I tell my friend?

 

Jane