Counterfactual conditional

A Counterfactual conditional (also known as a subjunctive or X-marked conditional) is a type of sentence which says what might have been true under different circumstances. For example, "If Peter believed in ghosts, he would be afraid to be here." Counterfactuals are contrasted with indicative sentences, which make statements about the world as it is. In English, counterfactuals are written in the subjunctive mood ("If I were rich" not "If I was rich").