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The Subjunctive: General Idea
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-/W3C/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional/EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META NAME="Author" CONTENT="Zdravko Batzarov"> <META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="Mozilla/4.06 [en] (Win98; I) [Netscape]"> <TITLE>The Subjunctive: General Idea</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY BACKGROUND="../../Art/Backgrounds/Relief.jpg" NOSAVE> <CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#CC0000"><FONT SIZE=+4>The Subjunctive: General Idea</FONT></FONT></B> <BR><IMG SRC="../../Art/Lines/Diamonds.gif" VSPACE=10 NOSAVE HEIGHT=25 WIDTH=608> <BR><B><FONT COLOR="#CC0000"><FONT SIZE=+3>by Stephen C. Ohlhaut</FONT></FONT></B> <BR><B><I><FONT COLOR="#CC0000"><FONT SIZE=-1>(the article is published with the permission of the author)</FONT></FONT></I></B></CENTER> <P><BR> <BR> <P>For those not familiar with English grammar, the word <I>subjunctive</I> is bound to be totally foreign. However, the subjunctive mood exists in English, too. Usually, we use it after the word <B><I>that</I></B> when the first clause implies some doubt or wishing. Take these examples: <UL> <LI> <I>I wish that she were here right now.</I></LI> </UL> Notice <B><I>she were</I></B> instead of <B><I>she was</I></B>. This verb is in the subjunctive mood. Sometimes, in day-to-day speech, some people might say "I wish that she was here." However, this is not good English. <UL> <LI> <I>She requests that he come to the meeting tomorrow.</I></LI> </UL> Here, he come is in the subjunctive mood as well. <P>In both sentences, the subjunctive is found after a clause where the following two conditions are met: <BLOCKQUOTE>1. The preceding clause contains a phrase indicating some wishing, desiring or doubt. <BR>2. The preceding clause ends with "that". <BR> (Note: Sometimes, "that" is implied and not stated.)</BLOCKQUOTE> It must be said that the subjunctive is dying out in English. Generally speaking, we avoid the subjunctive or simply omit it even when it is required. We should use the subjunctive in if-clauses, but this use is no longer manditory. <UL> <LI> If I were still young, I'd finish that mile-long race.</LI> </UL> It has become common to say: <UL> <LI> If I was still young, I'd finish that mile-long race.</LI> </UL> <CENTER> <P><IMG SRC="../../Art/Lines/StarDivider.gif" VSPACE=10 NOSAVE BORDER=0 HEIGHT=49 WIDTH=609 ALIGN=BOTTOM> <BR><I><A HREF="../../General_References/index.html"><B>General Reference</B> Main Page</A></I> <BR><A HREF="../../index.html"><B><I>Orbis Latinus</I></B> <I>Main Page</I></A> <P><B><I><FONT COLOR="#CC0000"><FONT SIZE=-1>This page is part of Orbis Latinus</FONT></FONT></I></B> <BR><B><I><FONT COLOR="#CC0000"><FONT SIZE=-1>© Zdravko Batzarov</FONT></FONT></I></B></CENTER> </BODY> </HTML>