Is the subjunctive really necessary?
We don't use the subjunctive very often in English unless we wish to sound formal. With verbs like suggest, recommend, insist, and adjectives like important, essential, imperative, crucial, vital, we often use should + infinitive instead of the subjunctive or we can use the normal tense form.
The Subjunctive in English is the MOOD of a verb that always comes in the simple/base form. The subjunctive mood of verbs comes after certain verbs indicating that one person wants/insists/desires another person to do something.
Those certain verbs are
called subjunctive verbs.
Subjunctive Verbs:
Advise |
Demand |
Prefer |
Require |
Ask |
Insist |
Propose |
Stipulate |
Command |
Urge |
Recommend |
Suggest |
Decree |
Order |
Request |
The Structure of Subjunctive Mood:
Sub (1) + Subjunctive Verb (any
tense) + that + Sub (2) + Base Form of Verb + Complement |
Examples:
- Jose has advised that Andrea go to movies.
- Robert insisted that I work on my report.
- The principal demands that we study hard.
- He suggested that I buy this car.
- She proposed that we get engaged.
Here, the conjunction ‘that’ is as
important as the subjunctive verbs. Without ‘that’, the structure changes a lot and does NOT follow the mood of subjunctives:
Sub + Subjunctive Verbs (any
tense) + that + Object + Infinitive (to + verb) + Complement |
Examples
- We recommend you to go to
movies. (No ‘that’, no subjunctive)
- He advised me to study hard.
However, the subjunctive verbs with the conjunction ‘that’ always follow
the subjunctive mood (first structure).
There are some adjectives also that create a subjunctive mood.
These adjectives come after the ‘be verbs’ along with the conjunction ‘that’
and create a subjunctive mood for the next verb. These adjectives are
called subjunctive adjectives.
Subjunctive Adjectives:
Advised |
Necessary |
Urgent |
Required |
Important |
Obligatory |
Mandatory |
Suggested |
Recommended |
Imperative |
Structure:
It + Be Verbs (any tense) + Subjunctive Adjective + that + Sub + Base Form of Verb +
Comp |
Examples:
- It was advised that Andrea go to movies.
- It is imperative
that I work on my
report.
- It was necessary that we study hard.
- It is urgent that I buy a car.
- It was required that we get engaged.
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