Imam Al-kadhim Collage (IKC)

Department of English
Second Stage
Morning Study /A/
Reading

Subjunctive forms of the verbs

By: Hussein Abbas Kadhim Karim
Supervised by: Naseer Shukur
Abstract:
In most cases, the subjunctive form of a verb is usually the third-person form
of the verb with the ‑ s dropped, but the verb to be is a special case. The
subjunctive used after certain expressions that contain an order or a request, a
hypothetical, or a wish.

Form:
Use the simple form of the verb. The simple form is the infinitive without the
"to." The simple form of the verb "to go" is "go." The Subjunctive is only
noticeable in certain forms and tenses.

Examples:

• I suggest that he study.

• Is it essential that we be there?

• Don recommended that you join the committee.

Notice:
The Subjunctive is only noticeable in certain forms and tenses. In the examples
below, the Subjunctive is not noticeable in the "you-form" of the verb, but it is
noticeable in the "he-form" of the verb.
Examples:
• You try to study often. "you-form" of "try"
It is important that you try to study often. Subjunctive form of "try" looks the
Same.
• He tries to study often. "he-form" of "try"
It is important that he try to study often. Subjunctive form of "try" is noticeable
here
When to use the subjunctive?

The subjunctive is a specific verb form. It usually expresses something that you
wish for, or a hypothetical rather than actual situation:

 If only I were ten years younger.

 I only wish that what you say were true.
 It is also used to indicate that something is being suggested or demanded:
 The report recommends that he face the tribunal.

In modern English it is distinguished from other verb forms only a) by the use
of be and were instead of the indicative forms (am/is/are/was) as in the example
above; and b) by lacking the final letter -s of the third person singular (he/she/it)
in the present tense (in the example above he face, not he faces).

When is it used?
You are most likely to encounter the subjunctive in formal writing or speech.
You’ll also encounter it in the following scenarios:

1- In that-clauses

Nowadays it is probably most frequent in that-clauses with verbs such as

demand, insist, pray, recommend, suggest, and semantically related
nouns/adjectives, e.g. essential, important, insistence, proposal, etc.

 She declined a seat beside Charles on the sofa. She insisted that Jane sit
there.
 It was suggested that he wait until the next morning.
 It is important that they be aware of the provisions of the Act.

Note: In most such cases it can be replaced by should + infinitive or by the

indicative form of the verb:
  She declined a seat beside Charles on the sofa. She insisted that Jane sat
there.
 It was suggested that he should wait until the next morning.
 It is important that they are aware of the provisions of the Act.

The use of the subjunctive instead of those alternatives is very frequent in

American English.

2- As if…, as though…, if…

After if (or as if, as though, unless) in hypotheses or comparisons:

 If that were so, things would be very different.

 It was as if Sally were disturbed in some way.
 His voice strained as though he were walking on a wire above a pit of
sharks.

The indicative may also be used, i.e. was instead of were, in all the examples
above, but the subjunctive arguably conveys the hypothetical sense more
forcefully.

3- If I were you…

Usage seems to be changing in phrases such as if I were you, if it were up to

me, etc. People often say if I was you and if it was up to me, but the subjunctive
is preferable in writing, especially any formal or academic prose. The phrase as
it were, however, cannot be modified:

 Having to ask permission, as it were, to see her friends

 Suddenly, as it were overnight, the weather became hot and sultry.
4- Set phrases

For categories 1–3 using the subjunctive is optional. However, there are many
set phrases which contain a hidden subjunctive as part of the phrase:

 Come what may

 Far be it from me to…
 God save the Queen!
 Heaven forbid!
 Perish the thought!
 So be it
 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…

Possibly, it is failure to recognize that suffice it to say is subjunctive, with it as

the grammatical subject, that leads many people to say suffice to say.

5- At the head of a clause

This kind of construction, with the subject after the verb, is more typically
found in writing than in speech, where it might be considered rather formal.

 Were I to get drunk, it would help me drown my anguish.

 Unlike rival international fairs, be they in London, New York or
Maastricht, the Biennale has enormous popular appeal.
References:

When to use the subjunctive

https://www.lexico.com/grammar/when-to-use-the-subjunctive

Subjunctive
https://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/subjunctive.html