Today I found myself in a discussion about an English sentence written by a German that I, also being a German, thought was perfectly fine although another user, who is a native English speaker and even turned out to be a professional editor, had corrected. The reason why I disagreed with the native's correction was that I had never seen a sentence like it before. It felt so uncomfortably strange as if some kids on the streets were skipping over some words to sound cooler. In fact, I had never heard about the usage of the subjunctive mood in English. Knowing French, Spanish, and Portuguese, I am perfectly familiar with what the subjunctive mood is and when it is used, but I had never actually seen it being used in the English language. I am extremely sorry that I discredited this user's correction, especially without looking at his profile to check his references.
I am writing this post in order to use my new knowledge of the subjunctive mood in English. First I want to go over what the subjunctive is and when and how it is used. Secondly, I'd like to come up with as many example sentences as I can, so that my brain can get used to this structure.
What is the Subjunctive Mood?
Sentences that we would consider normal are in the indicative mood. This structure is used when we are talking about real situations that are happening in the present, happened in the past, or things in the future that are likely to happen.
He walks.
We eat.
They run.
I am.
She is.
They walked.
The sun will shine.
The subjunctive mood, in contrast, is used when we are talking about hypothetical things like wishes, emotions, opinions, possibilities, obligations, or actions that have not yet happened. In the subjunctive mood, the verb is used in its "bare" form without "to". Therefore it doesn't change for any person, not even the third person singular (he, she, it). This is where it seems the strangest.
The usage of the subjunctive is most common after verbs and nouns that suggest something and advisable or anxious adjectives in combination with that.
Below is a list of words that take the subjunctive:
word category | examples | in combination with |
suggest-verbs | advice, ask, command, demand, desire, insist, order, prefer, propose, recommend, request, suggest, urge | + that |
suggest-nouns | command, demand, order, proposal, recommendation, request, suggestion | + that |
advisable adjectives | advisable, best, crucial, desirable, essential, imperative, important, necessary, unthinkable, urgent, vital | + that |
anxious adjectives | adamant, anxious, determined, eager, keen | + that |
be after if/whether (rather formal) | ||
were-subjunctive |
Example Sentences
In the following sentences, the subjunctive is used in the relative clause after "that".
1. suggest-verbs:
He suggests that you be present at the meeting.
The board recommends that he join the company.
He requested that the car park not be locked at night.
The judges order that he stay the execution.
The manager was eager that his visitor see the new building.
The board of directors recommended that he not be dismissed.
It is recommended that she prepare a short speech before the ceremony.
We asked that he listen carefully to the directions before starting the project.
Maya insisted that the student seek the aid of a tutor.
The doctors recommended that she take a holiday.
The landlord requested that John move out of the apartment.
She insists that he come.
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The teacher insisted that he do the homework again.
I suggest that you be asleep before 10 o'clock.
The president demanded that everyone be inside their house during the zombie attack.
I suggest you take a pain killer.
I recommend that we have an early night.
I recommend you have a coffee.
John recommended that I be hired for the job.
The dentist insisted that my son brush the teeth twice a day.
We demanded that he apologize.
2. suggest-nouns:
They made a suggestion that we be early.
He made a proposal that the company buy more land.
The president has issued an order that the secretary resign next month.
We have made a request that we not be disturbed.
Have you seen my suggestion that work hours be reduced?
3. advisable-adjectives:
It is advisable that she rest for a week.
It was essential that the army advance rapidly.
After the landing it will be vital that every soldier not use a radio.
It is important that a car be waiting when we arrive.
It is important that she agree to these terms.
It's necessary that no one go outside during the zombie attack.
It's crucial that you not have a lot of social contacts during the pandemic.
It is necessary that I not have dinner tonight.
It is important that the baby stay asleep.
It is best that she see a doctor.
It is essential that everyone follow the guidelines.
It is vital that someone be waiting at the airport when I arrive.
It is important that he figure this out.
4. anxious-adjectives:
Tara is anxious that you return soon.
They are keen that he not be hurt.
We were determined that it remain secret.
5. be after if/whether
If that be (not) the case, I intend to report the matter.
Whether he be prepared or not, the exam will be tomorrow.
Should you be unable to attend the morning class, an evening class will be available.
6. were-subjunctive
I already knew that this form existed, but did not know that this was subjunctive.
I would go if I were younger.
If he were not so mean, he would buy one.
I'd tell her if I were you.
It's not as if I were ugly.
She acts as if she were the Queen.
I wish I weren't so slow!
I wish the computer were working.
Suppose she were here. What would you say?
If I were rich I would buy some nice things.
If only I had a faster computer.
She behaves as if she were the last woman on earth.
Not only the fact that the verbs are not declined for the third person singular, but also the position of "not" make those sentences look weird and unnatural. It is also interesting to note that the first four points in the list are more common in American English, while in British English a structure using "should" is used to express those thoughts.
Sources:
- https://www.grammarly.com/blog/english-subjunctive-what-is-it/
- https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/subjunctive.htm
- https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/subjunctive.htm
- If I was...? If I were...? - Learn The Subjunctive Mood! by Learn English with Papa Teach Me (https://youtu.be/Lp_PPRbcsCQ)
- Grammar Series - The Subjunctive Mood by Maple Leaf ESL (https://youtu.be/yJ1n1r8eXmY)
- The Subjunctive - English Grammar Lesson by Anglo-Link (https://youtu.be/h92oGJAhS7M)
Incredible Journal, Linda! I am a native English speaker and subjunctive still breaks my brain! I will be coming back to this post to refresh myself when I get stuck. Thank you!
I had to laugh a little when this popped up on my feed, because I was in that discussion too! I feel bad, because it got slightly contentious. That said...this is a difficult question. I'm fond of the subjunctive but it's poorly understood by native speakers--to the point of seeing such rare correct use that it's fair to talk about "preserving" it. I'll be honest, the correct use of the subjunctive is something that I would in many cases only point out if I were helping an English learner with their academic-level writing. But I recognize other points of view. I don't teach English at that level; I'm used to teaching beginners who need encouragement in the basics. (To me it doesn't sound like street English--it sounds like extremely exact English, maybe formal enough to be called old-fashioned. But I see how you could think that!)
For what it's worth--I used to (and still do) get in internal debates with myself over whether it's better to sing the lyrics of a particular folk song "though all the world betray thee" (hypothetical and subjunctive) or "though all the world betrays thee" (a real and present situation). The fun never stops when it comes to the subjunctive!
Interesting post! I'm a native speaker from the US, but regarding the phrases in group 6 of your list, I will often say something like, "I wish he was here" or "I wish the computer was working".
However, when I write a formal essay I use the "proper" form instead. I am aware of the "proper" form, but in speech, sometimes I drop it and use "incorrect" forms because it feels more casual, even though I know it's "wrong" (technically!).
For the other groups, I think I use the subjunctive properly most, but probably not all, of the time. For example: "It's necessary that no one go outside during the zombie attack." - In this sentence, I can easily imagine myself saying "goes" instead of "go" while talking. I can see a few other ones in the list that I have like a ~50% chance of saying "wrong" irl just because I prefer to say them that way ("It is important that the baby stays asleep." "It is necessary that I don't have dinner tonight." ). But, again, if I am writing a formal essay for school, I know that I am supposed to write them like you have listed here :)
Interesting. I was never consciously aware of the fact that this is just the subjunctive (which, like you, I am familiar with from French...).
Linda, you did a beautiful thing highlighting the subjunctive in this post. English, compared to other languages, already has such an impoverished verb system that to circumvent something as interesting and expressive as the subjunctive for a more "pedestrian" verb form does a real disservice to the language. I hope that after reading this, more natives will embrace it and integrate it in their writing. Brava!
I made some comments (as a Brit) - as some of the forms seemed 'stiff' to me, similar to Julian's comments, then found that (according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_subjunctive) "In particular, the subjunctive is more widely used in American English than in British English."
@Adrian Yup, that's what I wrote in the last paragraph. "It is also interesting to note that the first four points in the list are more common in American English, while in British English a should structure is used to express those thoughts." Probably it's not only the first four points but the first five.
@LindasLinguas ah yes, missed that on reading - it is advisable that I read more carefully in future...
Very interesting! I can see how this form would be very tricky to learn as a non-native speaker. As a native speaker, I would never have been able to explain the English subjunctive myself, so I applaud you for having done so! I have learned more about my own language as a result of this post
I'm delighted to see that so many people are willing to (re)learn the subjunctive, rather than sweep it under the rug 👍🏼
Hi Linda, I just discovered this post. I've noticed this use of the infinitive quite often, but never knew what it was about or when to use it, so thanks for the explanation :)
Oh, wow, I didn't even know that this existed and probably would have gotten angry about the "typos" if I had read that in a formal text :D
I've been thinking about getting an advanced level grammar book for English for a while, who knows what else I am missing :D
@Jana: Yes, indeed! There are also very nice podcasts out there that discuss grammar topics in English. One of them is called: "Grammar Girl" and I highly recommend it 😊
Many of these sentences seemed Greek to me. I began to question not only my knowledge of English, but my whole life. Thankfully, I kept reading and learnt that the subjunctive is less common in British English, which is the version I'm studying.
@Simone-, Thanks for reading my sample sentence database and I'm glad you made it to the end! I guess, constant exposure to British English, especially during school in Europe, was part of the initial problem of denying the existence of the subjunctive mood!
Are you talking about me or you?
Probably both of us xD Well, in that comment especially me. In school, we had some lessons in which they would tell us the differences between BE and AE, but of course they'd only scratched the surface.
All I learnt at school was the pen is on the table 😅. Everything else was Greek to me. I can't imagine a lesson on the differences between BrE and NaE. It would've been like rocket science.
I've been reading both your comments since yesterday and I was curious, so I watched a British movie last night and they used the subjunctive as much as we did. Maybe because they were young, and the English of British youth is becoming more and more americanized. For example, when I was growing up, Brits said I had got upset/bored/sick etc., and Americans said had gotten. But now, I hear British youth say gotten too. Last week, I found this video and realized it's actually a thing: https://youtu.be/pCmTKLhHyPc?si=9ccKsKFFZGm0xx1M&t=1238
The structure I verb someone infinite is common in formal British English. But I don't recall the subjunctive being used for the verb to be as well.
As for gotten, it's not used for the past participle of to get in conventional British English, or what they call BBC English. But it's definitely used in some local, isolated dialects. @Dripdrip Since you're English, you might be able to offer some valuable insights.
@CocoPop I'm not sure I understand what they're trying to say from 21:02 to 21:17. What do they mean by way out and way in? I had to watch it a couple of times to get a vague idea. My understanding is that the guy thought that gotten was in decline in British English, and Dr Lindsey pointed out that the opposite was true. How wrong was I?😆
By the way, what film was it?
@Simone- What Lindsey was proving in his experiment is that gotten is on the way in in the sense that it's entering British usage more and more, while got is on the way out (of usage). That was my point — that British English is becoming more and more influenced by American English.
@Simone- gotten is increasingly being used and not just by younger people. I've heard people in their 50s use it. Since we have forgotten, I suppose gotten makes some sort of sense. It is the influence of American TV and films coupled with a lack of 'correction' at home and at school.
Here's another video that talks about much more than just gotten/got; apparently we're also influencing British usage of the present perfect vs the simple past: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4VAEmZBqK0
@Dripdrip That's fascinating. Thanks for sharing.