Subjunctive Mood

The mood of a verb expressing wishes, stipulating demands, or making statements contrary to fact.

Guidelines for Using the Subjunctive

The subjunctive may be used in the following circumstances in formal writing. 1. Contrary-to-fact clauses beginning with if: "If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?" (Abraham Lincoln) 2. Contrary-to-fact clauses expressing a wish: "At that moment, I had the most desperate wish that she were dead." (Harrison Ford as Rusty Sabich in Presumed Innocent, 1990) 3. That clauses after verbs such as ask, demand, insist, propose, request, and suggest: "I demand that he leave at once." 4. Statements of necessity: "It's necessary that she be in the room with you." 5. Certain fixed expressions: as it were, be that as it may be, far be it from me, heaven forbid, if need be, so be it, suffice it to say

Source: http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/subjuncterm05.htm