'was I am doing' (etc.)

Short answer: Use I was planning for real past intentions; use I were planning only in imagined or counterfactual clauses (If I were planning...).

Use the diagnostic steps and rewrites below to decide quickly and fix sentences for work, school, or casual contexts.

Quick answer

I was planning = past progressive for real past intentions (I was planning to call). I were planning = subjunctive/conditional for hypothetical or counterfactual situations (If I were planning a trip...).

Real past intention → I was planning.
Imagined or counterfactual situation → I were (usually in an if/suppose/wish clause).
Conversation often uses If I was, but prefer If I were in formal writing for clear counterfactuals.

Core grammar: past progressive vs subjunctive

I was planning is the past progressive (was + -ing) that reports an ongoing plan in the past. I were planning uses the subjunctive/conditional to imagine a plan that isn't actually true now.

Past factual: I was planning to + verb → a real past intention.
Hypothetical/counterfactual: If I were planning to + verb → an imagined plan.
Look for flags like if, suppose, wish or imagine to signal the subjunctive.

Wrong: I were planning to call you last night.
Right: I was planning to call you last night.

When to use 'I was planning' (real past plans)

Use I was planning when you actually intended something in the past. Time markers and contrast words (but, however) often appear in the same sentence.

Signals: yesterday, last week, before, when + past event, but + reason.
Fits work updates, student reports, and casual explanations of what you intended to do.

Work: I was planning to send the Q2 figures before the meeting, but the spreadsheet crashed.
School: I was planning to submit my lab report on Monday, but I needed more data.
Casual: I was planning to swing by the party at 8, but the babysitter canceled.

When 'I were planning' is correct (subjunctive and conditional)

Use I were planning in counterfactuals and hypotheticals, usually in if-clauses or with suppose/wish.

Typical patterns: If I were planning..., Suppose I were planning..., I wish I were planning... (imagined situations).
Formal writing keeps If I were for counterfactuals; casual speech often allows If I was.

Right: If I were planning a presentation now, I'd include more visuals.
Right: Suppose I were planning a move across the country-I'd hire professionals.
Wrong: If I was planning a surprise, I wouldn't ask about it. (Use were for counterfactuals in formal settings.)

How to fix your sentence (diagnostic steps and rewrites)

Quick steps: 1) Is it a real past intention or an imagined one? 2) Does an if/suppose/wish flag a hypothetical? 3) If you're unsure, rewrite to remove the ambiguity.

Real past → I was planning to + verb. Imagined → If I were planning to + verb.
Safe rewrites for past facts: I planned to..., I intended to...
Safe rewrites for hypotheticals: I would plan to..., Were I planning to..., I would...

Rewrite (work): Original: I were planning to finish the draft by Tuesday. →
Fixed: I was planning to finish the draft by Tuesday.
Rewrite (school): Original (counterfactual): If I was planning to redo the experiment, I wouldn't publish the preliminary results. → Clearer: If I were planning to redo the experiment, I wouldn't publish the preliminary results.
Rewrite (casual): Original (ambiguous): I were planning on texting you later. → Fixed: I was planning to text you later; sorry for the delay.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence in context: that usually makes the intended meaning obvious. If a clause signals a hypothesis, prefer were; if it reports a past intention, use was.

Examples and practice pairs (work, school, casual)

Each pair shows a common error and the corrected alternative, with a short note when helpful.

Wrong (work): I were planning to share the deck with the team before lunch.
Work - Right: I was planning to share the deck with the team before lunch. (real past intention)
Wrong (school): I were planning to include that citation in my footnotes.
School - Right: I was planning to include that citation in my footnotes. (past plan)
Wrong (casual): I were planning to come by later tonight.
Casual - Right: I was planning to come by later tonight. (past intention)
Wrong (conditional): If I was planning to resign, I'd hand in my notice sooner.
Right: If I were planning to resign, I'd hand in my notice sooner. (counterfactual)
Wrong (work terse): I were planning to finish the Q3 summary.
Work - Right: I was planning to finish the Q3 summary, but I need another hour.
Wrong (school report): I were planning to run the experiment twice.
School - Right: I was planning to run the experiment twice, but time ran out.

Memory tricks and quick checks

Use these quick checks when you hesitate between was and were.

Swap test: Replace the phrase with I planned to. If the sentence still reads as a factual past, use I was planning.
Flag words: if, suppose, wish, imagine usually signal a hypothetical-check for If I were.
When unsure, rewrite: I intended to or I would plan to avoid the subject-verb issue.

Usage: Swap test example: If I were planning a trip, I'd book now. Swap to I planned a trip → meaning changes → keep subjunctive were.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Correcting this pattern helps you fix several related errors.

If I was vs If I were - use were for counterfactuals in formal writing.
I was planning vs I planned - both correct; -ing highlights ongoing intention, planned signals a completed decision.
I were hoping vs I was hoping - use was for real past hopes; were appears in imagined clauses.

Wrong: If I was hoping for approval, I would have had the budget ready.
Right: If I were hoping for approval, I would have had the budget ready.
Wrong: I were hoping to graduate this spring.
Right: I was hoping to graduate this spring. (polite, factual past hope)

Hyphenation, spacing and punctuation traps

Hyphens don't affect the choice between was and were, but punctuation and spacing shape how readers interpret a clause.

Set off introductory if-clauses with a comma: If I were planning to come, I'd let you know.
Don't hyphenate was-planning or were-planning. Use hyphens for compound modifiers: well-planned event.
Watch contractions and spacing: I'm is fine in informal contexts; use I am for emphasis or formality. Fix stray spaces (I 'm) and double spaces.

Usage: Comma example: If I were planning to resign, I would prepare a handover. (comma clarifies the conditional)
Casual - Usage: Contraction/spacing: I'm sorry - I was planning to call earlier. (correct contraction and spacing)

FAQ

Is 'I were planning' ever correct?

Yes-when describing a hypothetical or counterfactual situation, usually in an if-clause: If I were planning a trip, I'd buy tickets now. For real past intentions use I was planning.

Can I use 'If I was' in conversation?

Many speakers use If I was in casual speech and it's widely tolerated. For a clear counterfactual in formal writing, prefer If I were.

What's the safest rewrite when I'm unsure?

Choose I planned to, I intended to, or I would plan to depending on whether you mean a past fact or a hypothetical; these avoid the progressive/subjunctive choice.

How different are I was planning and I planned?

I was planning emphasizes an ongoing past intention; I planned signals a completed decision. Pick the form that matches your emphasis.

Does punctuation ever change the choice between was and were?

Punctuation doesn't change grammar, but commas and clear clause structure help readers spot whether a clause is hypothetical (If I were...) or factual (I was planning...). Use commas for introductory conditionals.

Still unsure about a sentence?

Paste the sentence into a careful editor or try the swap and flag tests above. When in doubt for formal text, rewrite to I planned / I intended or use Were I planning... to make your meaning unmistakable.