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from the BBC

Advanced learners often automatically invert the subject and auxiliary verb after a WH word clause, as if it were a question.

'It' is a third person singular pronoun, why does 'were' follows 'it'? Also, 'it' refers to a 'WH word clause' which is singular, isn't it?

I checked with Grammarly Premium and it says it's OK with 'were'.

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"Were" in the last clause is in the subjunctive mood. The clause, starting with "as if it..." is stating something that is untrue or hypothetical.

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