Subjunctive Mood
Part 1
In English, there are three moods or ways to express the action of the verbs, a writer or speaker uses.They are indicative which indicates the real world, that which is happening, has happened, or will happen. The imperative or commands in which the speaker orders someone to do or not to do something. The subjunctive represents the unreal, contrary to fact, or form whereby the speaker wants someone else to do something. The subjunctive is not used as often as the other two moods in and one dependent, two different subjects, and the conjunction that.
main
clause+ dependent clause
·
The verb in the subjunctive is always the
simple form, one that does not show time or agreement. There is no sequence of
tenses between the main clause and the dependent clause.
The
doctor suggests that I take vitamins. (that he/she/we/you take . . . )
The
doctor suggested that I take vitamins. (that he/she/we/you take . . . )
The
doctor will suggest that I take vitamins. (that he/she/we/you take . . . )
·
The main clause is always the first of the
two and must contain one of the following verbs:
[advise,
demand, prefer, ask, insist, recommend, command, order, request]
The
general commanded that his troops stand at attention.
Mother
will insist that we not go camping this weekend.
The
nutritionist prefers that Abdul drink eight glasses of water each day.
·
Rather than use the subjunctive, many
people prefer to eliminate the conjunction that and use an indirect object and
the infinitive. It is understood that the indirect object will be responsible
for performing the action of the infinitive.
subject
+ verb + indirect object + infinitive
The
university requires us to take four math courses.
The
police ordered the demonstrators to leave at once.
The
director will request all musicians to arrive early.
I urge
them to stay another week or two.
·
A number of impersonal expressions (it +
be + adjective) can be used in the main clause with the subjunctive in the
dependent clause. Again, the main verb (be) can be in any tense and there is no
sequence of tenses.
IT +
verb BE + adjective + THAT + S2 + V2 (subjunctive)
·
The following adjectives can be used in
the impersonal expressions:
[Advised,
mandatory, recommended, better, necessary, required, desirable, obligatory,
suggested, imperative, preferable, urged, important, proposed, urgent]
It was
advised that all residents leave the storm area.
It is
better that the professor not discuss his controversial theory in class.
It
will be preferable that tourists not drive through the jungle.
It is
obligatory that Marta pay her fees at once.
·
If the it phrase is replaced by a person
responsible for the action, then the infinitive is used with these adjectives:
[advised,
recommend, required, urged]
This
is the new sentence pattern:
S
(person) + verb BE + adjective + infinitive
You
were advised to register immediately.
We are
required to wear a shirt and shoes in there.
Esther
will be urged to study economics this year.
·
Another way to get around using the
subjunctive is to eliminate the change of subject and the conjunction that and
use the infinitive.
IT +
verb BE + adjective + infinitive
It
will be imperative to study every night.
It is
obligatory to pay taxes every year.
It was
urgent to discuss your medical problem immediately.
It is
better to wait for a lower interest rate.
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