Friday, December 12, 2008

Subjunctive Mood ; try to write better English

Most of the explanations and examples of this post have been taken from my English Coaching sir's note.

English verbs have four moods: indicative, imperative, subjunctive, and infinitive.
Mood is the form of the verb that shows the mode or manner in which a thought is expressed.
I've seen in some grammar books instead of infinitive author included interrogative mood as one of the four moods.
I'll like to succinct here only the subjunctive mood only but for a brief refernce to all other along with Subjunctive, reader can check the following link:
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/english-grammar-101-verb-mood/
Defination:
A verb is in the subjunctive mood when it expresses a condition which is doubtful or not factual.
It is typically observed in a subordinate clause beginning with the word if.
It is also found in clauses following a verb that expresses a doubt, a wish, regret, request, demand, or proposal.
Some verbs those are followed by clauses that take the subjunctive:
ask, demand, determine, insist, move, order, pray, prefer, recommend, regret, request, require, suggest, and wish.
Prior to start discussion let us put two sentences:
Examples:

  • I was in your position two years ago. (not in the subjunctive mood)
  • If I were in your position, I would do the same. (subjunctive mood)


The subjunctive for the present tense third person singular drops the -s or -es so that it looks and sounds like the present tense for everything else.
The subjunctive mood of the verb to be is be in the present tense and were in the past tense, regardless of what the subject is.

Incorrect: If I was you, I would run.
Correct: If I were you, I would run. (The verb follows if and expresses a non-factual condition.)

Incorrect: I wish he was able to type faster.
Correct: I wish he were able to type faster. (The second verb is in a clause following a verb expressing a wish. It also suggests a non-factual or doubtful condition.)

Incorrect: His requirement is that everyone is computer literate.
Correct: His requirement is that everyone be computer literate. (Subordinate clause follows main clause with a demand.)

Incorrect: He recommended that each driver reports his tips.
Correct: He recommended that each driver report his tips.

Sometimes we may use the conditional auxiliary verbs of could, should, or would to express the same sense.
Subjunctive:I wish he were kinder to me.
Conditional: I wish he would be kinder to me.

English has had a subjunctive mood since Old English times, but most of the functions of the old subjunctive have been taken over by auxiliary verbs like may and should, and the subjunctive survives only in very limited situations.

1 comment:

Deepshikha Sarda said...

hmm....that's surely a great help for MBA's entrance exams...and ofcourse otherwise also for the knowledge sake.
great effort!!!

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