SUBJUNCTIVE

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• WHAT IS SUBJUNCTIVE ?? 😜

• HOW MANY TYPES OF SUBJUNCTIVE EXISTED ?? 😎

• CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME EXERCISES ?? 😍

WHAT IS SUBJUNCTIVE ??

THE SUBJUNCTIVE IS A SPECIAL, RELATIVELY RARE VERB FORM IN ENGLISH.

WE USE SUBJUNCTIVES MAINLY WHEN TALKING ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE NOT CERTAIN TO HAPPEN. FOR EXAMPLE, WE USE THE SUBJUNCTIVE WHEN TALKING ABOUT EVENTS THAT SOMEBODY:

• WANTS TO HAPPEN

• ANTICIPATES WILL HAPPEN

• IMAGINES HAPPENING

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE IS EXTREMELY SIMPLE. FOR ALL VERBS EXCEPT

THE PAST TENSE OF BE, THE SUBJUNCTIVE IS THE SAME AS THE BARE INFINITIVE

(INFINITIVE WITHOUT "TO").

LOOK AT THESE EXAMPLES:

• THE PRESIDENT REQUESTS THAT YOU BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING.

• IT IS VITAL THAT YOU BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING.

• IF YOU WERE AT THE MEETING, THE PRESIDENT WOULD BE HAPPY.

HOW MANY TYPES OF SUBJUNCTIVE EXISTED ??

THE SUBJUNCTIVE IS TYPICALLY USED AFTER THE FOLLOWING STRUCTURES:

THE VERBS: ASK, COMMAND, DEMAND, INSIST, PROPOSE, RECOMMEND, REQUEST, SUGGEST, ADVISE,

REQUIRE.

COMMON PATTERN OF SUBJUNCTIVE:

• NORMAL

SUBJECT 1 + SUBJUNCTIVE VERB + THAT + SUBJECT 2 + (NOT) + V-BASE + COMPLIMENT

• WITHOUT THAT

SUBJECT 1 + SUBJUNCTIVE VERB + OBJECT PRONOUN + (NOT) + TO-INF + COMPLIMENT

• PASSIVE:

SUBJECT 1 + SUBJUNCTIVE VERB + THAT + SUBJECT 2 + (NOT) + BE + V-3 + COMPLIMENT

• CONTINUES TENSE:

SUBJECT 1 + SUBJUNCTIVE VERB + THAT + SUBJECT 2 + (NOT) + BE + V-ING + COMPLIMENT

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:

• THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDED THAT HE JOIN THE COMPANY.

• THE PRINCIPLE SUGGESTS ME TO GO TO THE LIBRARY.

• THE MANAGER INSISTS THAT THE CAR PARK BE LOCKED AT NIGHT.

• THE TEACHER ADVISED THAT SHE BE WAITING FOR THE REPORT.

THE ADJECTIVES: IT IS IMPORTANT, IT IS NECESSARY, IT IS ESSENTIAL, IT IS VITAL, IT

IS IMPERATIVE, IT IS URGENT, IT IS RECOMMENDED, IT IS DESIRABLE.

COMMON PATTERN OF THIS SORT OF SUBJUNCTIVE:

• NORMAL:

ADJECTIVE + THAT + SUBJECT + (NOT) + V-BASE + COMPLIMENT

• PASSIVE:

ADJECTIVE + THAT + SUBJECT + (NOT) + BE + V-3 + COMPLIMENT

• CONTINUES TENSE:

ADJECTIVE + THAT + SUBJECT + (NOT) + BE + V-ING + COMPLIMENT

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:

• IT IS VITAL THAT YOU BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING.

• IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SHE BE APPRECIATED FOR HER SINCERE EFFORT.

• IT IS DESIREABLE THAT WE BE GIVING DONATION.

THE USE OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE AS ABOVE IS MORE COMMON IN AMERICAN ENGLISH

THAN IN BRIRTISH ENGLISH, WHERE SHOULD + INFINITIVE IS OFTEN USED:

• THE MANAGER INSISTS THAT THE CAR PARK SHOULD BE LOCKED AT NIGHT.

• IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT WE SHOULD VOTE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THE WISH

• PRESENT

S + WISH/ES + S2 + V2/WERE + COMPLIMENT.

I WISH YOU CAME HERE (FACT: YOU DON’T COME HERE).

SHE WISHES I WERE A TEACHER (FACT: I AM NOT A TEACHER).

• PAST

S + WISHED + S2 + HAD + V 3 + COMPLIMENT.

I WISHED I HAD FINISHED MY TASK THIS MORNING (FACT: I DIDN’T FINISH MY TASK THIS

MORNING).

• FUTURE

S + WISH/ES + S2 + PAST FUTURE (WOULD/SHOULD) + COMPLIMENT.

I WISH I WOULD BE AN ENGINEER (FACT: I WILL NOT BE AN ENGINEERR).

AS IF/AS THOUGH

• PRESENT

S + VERB + AS IF/AS THOUGH + S + V2/WERE + COMPLIMENT.

SHE SPEAKS AS IF SHE WERE IN THE HEAVEN (FACT: SHE IS NOT IN THE HEAVEN).

SHE ACTS AS THOUGH SHE KNEW EVERYTHING (FACT: SHE DOESN’T KNEW EVERYTHING).

• PAST

S + VERB2 + AS IF/AS THOUGH + S + HAD + V 3 + COMPLIMENT.

I RUN AS IF I HAD MISSED THE BUS (FACT: I DIDN’T MISS THE BUS).

HE SANG AS THOUGH HE HAD BEEN IN A BROADWAY (FACT: HE WAS NOT IN A BROADWAY).

IF ONLY

• PRESENT

IF ONLY + S + V2/WERE + COMPLIMENT.

IF ONLY I KNEW THE TRUTH (FACT: I DON’T KNOW THE TRUTH).

IF ONLY SHE WERE A DANCER (FACT: SHE IS NOT A DANCER).

• PAST

IF ONLY + S + HAD + V 3 + COMPLIMENT.

IF ONLY YOU HAD COME (FACT: YOU DIDN’T COME).

IF ONLY HE HAD KNOWN WHAT IS REALLY ON THE INSIDE (FACT: HE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT

IS REALLY ON THE INSIDE).

SOME FIXED EXPRESSIONS USE THE SUBJUNCTIVE. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:

• LONG LIVE THE KING!

• GOD BLESS AMERICA!

• HEAVEN FORBID!

• BE THAT AS IT MAY, HE STILL WANTS TO SEE HER.

• COME WHAT MAY, I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.

• WE ARE ALL CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, AS IT WERE.

NOW CHECK YOU UNDERSTANDING 😠

Fill in the blanks below with the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Negative, passive and continuous subjunctive

forms are possible.

It's important that she (remember) ___________________ to take her medicine twice a day.

I suggest that Frank (read) ______________ the directions carefully before assembling the bicycle. He doesn't

want the wheels to fall off while he is riding down a hill.

Mrs. Finkelstein demanded that the heater (repair) ________________ immediately. Her apartment was freezing.

It's vital that the United States (focus) _______________ on improving its public education system. What we do

now will affect our country for generations to come.

The monk insisted that the tourists (enter) _____________ the temple until they had removed their shoes.

I am not going to sit here and let her insult me. I demand that she immediately (apologize) __________________

for what she just said.

Judy asked that we (attend) ________________ her graduation ceremony next week.

Was it really necessary that (sit) ________________ I there watching you the entire time you were rehearsing for

the play? It was really boring watching you repeat the scenes over and over again.

It is important to remember that Janine (think) __________________ very differently from you. She may not

agree to the changes you have made in the organization of the company.

It's a little difficult to find the restaurant. I propose that we all (drive) _________________ together so that

nobody gets lost along the way.

The woman insisted that the lost child (take) ______________ to store's information desk so his parents could be paged.

The nutritionist recommended that Sally (reduce) _____________ her daily fat intake.

The environmental leader felt it was extremely important that the people of the city (allow) ______________ to voice

their concerns over the new hotel being built on the bay.

She told me that the government (regulate) _____________ the airline industry. I don't know if that is true.

The sign at the pool recommended that you (swim) ______________ after eating a large meal.

John insists that Sarah (invite) _______________ to the wedding; otherwise he will not attend.

I think it's an interesting fact that she (come) _________________ from Estonia.

It is imperative that the world (work) _____________________ towards a solution to global warming before the weather

patterns of the world are disrupted irreparably.