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The Subjunctive Mood: Come What May Be That As It May Suffice It To Say
The Subjunctive Mood: Come What May Be That As It May Suffice It To Say
Form
two forms of the subjunctive, traditionally called the present and past subjunctive, although the distinction relates more to mood
than to tense (sometimes used in hypothetical or non-factual cases)
present subjunctive: base form of the verb
past subjunctive (were-subjunctive): survives only in were as a past form of be (the indicative was is more common in less formal
style)
negation: not + subjunctive (the auxiliary do is not used)
Usage
two main uses of the present subjunctive:
1. the mandative subjunctive is used in a that-clause after expressions, verbs, adjectives and nouns expressing such notions as
demand, recommendation, proposal, intention, necessity, plan for the future (ask, demand, insist, prefer, propose, recommend,
request, suggest; advisable, anxious, desirable, eager, essential, imperative, important, necessary, preferable, vital, willing;
advice, decision, proposal, recommendation, request, requirement, resolution, suggestion); sth is important or desirable
used even if the verb in the main clause is past
rather formal in style, used very occasionally
more typically used in AE, but it seems to be increasing in BE
in BE putative should or indicative used instead (after an adjective a to-infinitive can be used)
very occasionally in formal style used in clauses of concession (though, although, while, whereas, even if) and purpose (so that,
so, in order that) to express putative meaning more usual: in though-clauses simple present indicative or putative should +
infinitive; clauses of purpose require modals, and therefore only the should-construction is a possible alternative
the past subjunctive is hypothetical in meaning. It is used in conditional and concessive clauses and in subordinate clauses after
wish and suppose, and some expressions used for sth unreal (would rather, if, as if, as though, supposing) a little formal and
old-fashioned, except in the phrase if I were you/in your shoes where it is more natural than was. The subjunctive were is often
replaced in nonformal style by the indicative was.
Compiled by
Marko Majerović
Department of English
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
University of Zagreb
Sources:
Eastwood, John: Oxford Guide to English Grammar, OUP, 1994
Eastwood, John: Oxford Learner’s Grammar, OUP, 2005
Greenbaum, Sidney & Randolph Quirk: A Student’s Grammar of the English Language, Longman, 1990
Swan, Michael: Practical English Usage, International Student’s Edition, OUP, 1996
Biber, Douglas; Susan Conrad; Geoffrey Leech: Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English, Longman, 2002