The Subjunctive

CHAPTER 9. THE SUBJUNCTIVE

The Simple Present Subjunctive is also still used in a few traditional expressions.
e.g. Long live the King!

The past tenses of the Subjunctive, and the auxiliary would, are used in expressing wishes.
e.g. I wish you were here.
I wish I had known that.
I wish the rain would stop.

The past tenses of the Subjunctive, and the auxiliary would, can also be used in order to indicate that conditions being expressed are false or improbable.
e.g. If I were rich, I would travel around the world.
If he had been here, he would have been glad to see you.

In the first example, the use of the Simple Past Subjunctive were and the Simple conjugation with would indicates that the condition expressed in the clause If I were rich is false or improbable. In the second example, the use of the Past Perfect Subjunctive had been, and the Perfect conjugation with would, indicates that the condition expressed in the clause If he had been here is false.

Formation of the subjunctive

The English past and present tenses discussed in previous chapters are in what is usually referred to as the Indicative Mood. Each of the past and present tenses in the Indicative Mood has a corresponding tense in the Subjunctive Mood.

In modern English, most verb tenses in the Subjunctive Mood are similar or identical to the corresponding tenses in the Indicative Mood. It should be noted that verbs in the Subjunctive Mood do not modify, but have the same form regardless of the subject.

The Simple Present Subjunctive and Simple Past Subjunctive of the verb to be are shown below. The Indicative forms are also given, for purposes of comparison. The Subjunctive forms which differ from the corresponding Indicative forms are shown in bold type.

The simple indicative and subjunctive tenses of the verb To BeSimple PresentSimple Past

For any verb, the Simple Present Subjunctive is formed from the bare infinitive of the verb.

For any verb except the verb to be, the Simple Past Subjunctive is identical to the Simple Past Indicative.

For all of the past and present tenses conjugated with auxiliaries, the Subjunctive tenses are formed in the same way as the Indicative tenses, except that the Subjunctive of the auxiliaries is used.

The indicative and subjunctive tenses of the verb To WorkSimple PresentPresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPresent Perfect ContinuousSimple PastPast ContinuousPast PerfectPast Perfect Continuous

Formal commands and requests

The main clauses of the preceding examples are they requested, it is important and the demand will create a delay. In the first example, the verb requested is in the Simple Past; in the second example, the verb is is in the Simple Present; and in the third example, the verb will create is in the Simple Future.

As illustrated in these examples, the use of the Simple Present Subjunctive in the subordinate clause of a formal command or request is independent of the tense of the verb in the main clause.

The Simple Present Subjunctive is more commonly used in formal English than in informal English. For instance, the sentence “He advises that you not be late,” is an example of formal English. In informal English, the same idea would probably be expressed by the sentence “He advises you not to be late,” in which the infinitive is used, rather than a clause requiring the Simple Present Subjunctive.

Wishes

harder when they were young.
She wishes that you

to the meeting tomorrow.

It should be noted that the word that can be omitted from a sentence which uses the verb to wish in the main clause.
e.g. He wishes he were rich.
They wish they had studied harder when they were young.
She wishes you would come to the meeting tomorrow.

The form of the verb used in the subordinate clause of a wish is independent of the tense of the verb in the main clause. As explained below, the form of the verb used in the subordinate clause of a wish is determined by whether the time of the action referred to in the subordinate clause is earlier than, the same as, or later than the time of the action referred to in the main clause.

An earlier time

In each of these examples, the use of the Past Perfect Subjunctive or the Past Perfect Continuous Subjunctive indicates that the subordinate clause refers to an earlier time than the main clause.

The same time

In each of these examples, the use of the Simple Past Subjunctive or the Past Continuous Subjunctive indicates that the subordinate clause refers to the same time as the main clause.

A later time

In each of these examples, the use of the Simple conjugation with would indicates that the subordinate clause refers to a later time than the main clause.

Summary

It should be noted that the modal auxiliary could, which will be discussed further in the next chapter, can also be used in the subordinate clause of a sentence expressing a wish. The auxiliary could forms conjugations in the same way as the auxiliary would.
e.g. I wish I could help you tomorrow.
I wish I could help you now.

As illustrated in the preceding examples, the Simple conjugation with could may be used when the time referred to in the subordinate clause is later than, or the same as, the time referred to in the main clause.

Conditions which are false or improbable

If they had been expecting us, they would have arranged to meet us.
Had they been expecting us, they would have arranged to meet us.

If I had not received your message, I would have left.
Had I not received your message, I would have left.

As well as being expressed in subordinate clauses beginning with the word if, conditions may also be expressed in subordinate clauses beginning with the word unless.
e.g. Unless he were a giant, he would not be able to see over the wall.

Either the Indicative Mood or the Subjunctive Mood can be used to express a condition.

In the case of a condition which is considered true or probable, the Indicative Mood is used.
e.g. If she is here now, we will ask her opinion.
In this example, the verb is is in the Simple Present Indicative. The use of the Simple Present Indicative indicates that the condition if she is here now is considered to be probable.

In the case of a condition which is considered false or improbable, the Subjunctive Mood is used.
e.g. If she were here now, we would ask her opinion.
In this example, the verb were is in the Simple Past Subjunctive. The use of the Simple Past Subjunctive indicates that the condition if she were here now is considered to be false or improbable.

Forms of the verb used in the main clause

When a sentence contains a condition which is considered false or improbable, the verb in the main clause is usually in the Simple or Perfect conjugation with the auxiliary would.

Referring to present or future time

In these examples, the use of the Simple conjugation with would indicates that the main clauses I would accompany him and I would lend her my bicycle refer to present or future time.

Referring to past time

In this example, the use of the Perfect conjugation with would indicates that the main clause I would have skied in the park refers to past time. The use of the Perfect conjugation with would, combined with the use of the Past Perfect in the subordinate clause, indicates that the condition it had snowed is false, and that the action of skiing did not take place.

Iii. Summary

It should be noted that the auxiliary could can be used in either the main clause or the subordinate clause of a sentence containing a false or improbable condition. The first pair of examples illustrates the use of the auxiliary could in the main clause. The second pair of examples illustrates the use of the auxiliary could in the subordinate clause.
e.g. If they studied hard, they could pass the exam next year.
If they had studied hard, they could have passed the exam last year.

If you could see me now, you would not recognize me.
If you could have seen me yesterday, you would not have recognized me.

In these examples, the verbs could pass and could see are in the Simple conjugation with could; and the verbs could have passed and could have seen are in the Perfect conjugation with could. As illustrated in these examples, the Simple conjugation with could may be used to refer to present or future time; whereas the Perfect conjugation with could may be used to refer to past time.

Forms of the verb used in the subordinate clause

In these examples, the use of the Simple Past Subjunctive indicates that the subordinate clauses if it snowed and if he were here refer to present or future time.

Formal: If he were here now, I would give him the books.
Informal: If he was here now, I would give him the books.

It should be observed that, even when the Indicative is used instead of the Subjunctive, the use of a past tense for an action pertaining to present time, combined with the use of the conjugation with would in the main clause, is enough to indicate clearly that the condition expressed is considered false or improbable. However, this use of was instead of were is considered grammatically incorrect in formal English.

In this example, the use of the Past Perfect Subjunctive indicates that the subordinate clause if he had wanted to come refers to past time. The use of the Past Perfect Subjunctive also indicates that the condition he had wanted to come is false.

A statement containing a probable condition can be changed into a statement containing an improbable condition, by changing the forms of the verbs.

Probable: If he is here now, we will give him the book.
Improbable: If he were here now, we would give him the book.

Probable: If I have time tonight, I will help you with your homework.
Improbable: If I had time tonight, I would help you with your homework.

In these examples, he is here now and I have time tonight express probable conditions; whereas he were here now and I had time tonight express improbable conditions.

These examples illustrate how, when referring to non-continuous actions in present or future time, a statement containing a probable condition can be changed into a statement containing an improbable condition. The verb in the subordinate clause is changed from the Simple Present Indicative to the Simple Past Subjunctive; and the verb in the main clause is changed from the Simple Future to the Simple conjugation with would.

It is sometimes said that when a verb is in the Indicative Mood, the use of a past tense indicates remoteness in terms of time; however, when a verb is in the Subjunctive Mood, the use of a past tense indicates remoteness in terms of probability.

The imperative mood

Likewise, the Imperative of the verb to be is be.
e.g. Be more alert!
You be ready to come with us.

EXERCISES for Chapter 9

The proposal that she ______ us has merit. (to meet)
The proposal that she meet us has merit.

I wish I ________ ready on time. (to be)
I wish I had been ready on time.

Will she wish she __________ her bicycle? (to ride)
Will she wish she had ridden her bicycle?

I wish I ______ with you. (to agree)
I wish I agreed with you.

They will wish they _____ time to come. (to have)
They will wish they had time to come.

Does she wish it __________? (to snow)
Does she wish it would snow?

You will wish the bell _________. (to ring)
You will wish the bell would ring.

She wishes she ____ in Rome now.
She wishes she were in Rome now.

I wish you __________ with us tomorrow. (to come)
I wish you would come with us tomorrow.

If it had been raining, we would have used our umbrellas.
Had it been raining, we would have used our umbrellas.

_____ you _____ more if you had time? (to travel)
Would you travel more if you had time?

If they saw us, they _____ not _________ us. (to recognize)
If they saw us, they would not recognize us.

_____ you not ____ glad if you were rich? (to be)
Would you not be glad if you were rich?

_____ you _________ with us if we had asked you? (to come)
Would you have come with us if we had asked you?

If he had hurried, he _____ not ___________ the bus. (to miss)
If he had hurried, he would not have missed the bus.

_____ she not __________ if she had seen us? (to wave)
Would she not have waved if she had seen us?

_____ he __________ us yesterday if we had slept in? (to wake)
Would he have woken us yesterday if we had slept in?

Would you go to the party if you ________ an invitation? (to receive)
Would you go to the party if you received an invitation?

If he ___ not ____ his work, he would find another job. (to like)
If he did not like his work, he would find another job.

Had it not ______ yesterday, we would have raked the leaves. (to snow)
Had it not snowed yesterday, we would have raked the leaves.

___ he ______ here last week, we would have met him. (to stay)
Had he stayed here last week, we would have met him.

If he wins, we will congratulate him.
If he won, we would congratulate him.

They will join us, if we send them a message.
They would join us, if we sent them a message.

Don’t ______ to come. (to forget)
Don’t forget to come.

ANSWERS TO THE EXERCISES for Chapter 9

Answers to Exercise 1:
1. be 2. open 3. leave 4. accompany 5. fly 6. be 7. take 8. be 9. remain 10. find 11. learn 12. complete

Answers to Exercise 2:
1. had, lost 2. had, forgotten 3. had shown 4. had given 5. had snowed 6. had, opened 7. had heard 8. had known

Answers to Exercise 3:
1. were 2. were 3. knew 4. wanted 5. felt 6. were 7. were 8. found

Answers to Exercise 4:
1. would make 2. would help 3. would come 4. would hurry 5. would open 6. would wait 7. would write 8. would join

Answers to Exercise 5:
1. were 2. had been 3. would come 4. had left 5. would come 6. had arrived 7. would visit 8. were 9. had helped 10. were 11. would win 12. had made 13. were 14. were 15. would telephone

Answers to Exercise 6:
1. Were he here, he would lend us his car. 2. Had I remembered their address, I would have sent them a card. 3. Were we not waiting for a telephone call, we would go downtown. 4. Had they recognized her, they would have spoken to her. 5. Had I been intending to go shopping, I would have let you know. 6. Had you seen the movie, you would have liked it. 7. Were it not snowing, we would go out. 8. Had he been shoveling the walk, we would have seen him.

Answers to Exercise 7:
1. would, stop 2. would, be 3. Would, let 4. would, want 5. would change 6. Would, order 7. Would, agree 8. would, drive

Answers to Exercise 8:
1. would, have begun 2. would, have drunk 3. would, have missed 4. would, have returned 5. would, have left 6. would have found 7. would, have gone 8. would have lain

Answers to Exercise 9:
1. would, hesitate 2. would have finished 3. Would, have spoken 4. would enter 5. Would, take 6. would have received 7. would appreciate 8. Would, be 9. Would, have won 10. Would, have ordered 11. Would, visit 12. Would, have bought

Answers to Exercise 10:
1. were 2. Were 3. did, work 4. had 5. began 6. saw 7. did, trust 8. did, have 9. organized 10. were

Answers to Exercise 11:
1. had studied 2. Had, been 3. had thought 4. had seen 5. had, known 6. Had, rained 7. had understood 8. had put 9. Had, written 10. had chosen

Answers to Exercise 12:
1. were 2. had, reminded 3. Had, left 4. had 5. had rained 6. had seen 7. wanted 8. Had, known 9. had been 10. wrote 11. read 12. had paid

Answers to Exercise 13:
1. If they wanted to see you, they would come to the party. 2. If he were curious, he would ask what we are doing. 3. She would help us, if she had time. 4. If they worked hard, they would succeed. 5. If I found the culprits, I would teach them a lesson. 6. If she recognized us, she would wave. 7. They would treat you well, if you were honest with them. 8. If she liked you, she would tell you. 9. If he were ready, we would invite him to come. 10. If they saw me, they would want to speak to me.

Answers to Exercise 14:
1. stay 2. be 3. worry 4. Mind 5. Be 6. believe 7. look 8. wait 9. Excuse 10. Send