Hi, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to Alan Ianson:

>>>  If this was you, you're all set!

AK>  I just thought that the rule should follow from the rule
AK>  "I was, you were, he was"...


           Ah.  While the use of "if" does add a layer of complexity here, the
issue appears to be more about pattern recognition.

           When you knock on somebody's door & they ask "Who's there?" you can
answer (formally) "It is I" or (informally) "It's me" as long as they know you
well enough to recognize your voice.  Although Yahoo can't hear your voice, it
can use other means to let you know what's going on in case somebody is trying
to impersonate you.  If all is well, no reply is necessary.

           When I drop something in the kitchen & Dallas... who is in the next
room... asks "Was that you?" he's doing much the same thing.  He knows from my
response whether or not to grab his cell phone & prepare to call 911.  :-))

           Yahoo is using the sort of informal English native speakers tend to
use with family & friends when Miss Stickler can't hear them.  Another example
may be seen &/or heard in one of our favourite short stories, THE DAY DAD MADE
TOAST.  When Dad asks Mom "Where are the big blue plates?" she replies "In the
dishwasher."  Robin Williams does quite a nice job with it on YouTube....  :-)

           In its entirety, Yahoo's message is a two-part question:  "Somebody
tried to gain access to your account using [blah blah]... was that you?"  IMHO
the response Yahoo anticipates is "Yes, it was me" or "No, it wasn't me".  :-Q




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+