The subjunctive

The English subjunctive is a special, relatively rare verb form that expresses
something desired or imagined.

We use the subjunctive 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

Base Subjunctive

Form of base subjunctive

The form of the base subjunctive is extremely simple. For all verbs and all persons, the form is the base of
the verb, for example: be, have, do, go, sing, work

The base subjunctive does not use any other forms (goes, sings, works).

This table shows the base subjunctive in all persons, using the verbs be, work and sing as examples:

base-subjunctive

be wor sing
k

I be work sing

you be work sing

he, she, be work sing

it

we be work sing

you be work sing

they be work sing

👀 Note that the subjunctive does not change at all according to person (I, you, he etc).

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. 

👀 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.
In constructions of this type, any negation not (or never etc.) is normally placed before the subjunctive
verb:
One essential quality for a holiday novel is that it not be too light.
I recommend that we not approve this letter.  

👀 This construction is routine in American English, but less common elsewhere.

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.

👀 Note that in these cases were is always correct, but was is possible in informal language:

Formal with were Informal with was

I would go if I were younger. I would go if I was younger.

If he were not so mean, he If he wasn't so mean, he would

would buy one. buy one.

I'd tell her if I were you. We do not normally say "if I was

you" even in colloquial language.

It's not as if I were ugly. It's not as if I was ugly.

She acts as if she were the She acts as if she was the Queen.

Queen.

I wish I weren't so slow! I wish I wasn't so slow!

I wish the I wish the computer was

computer were working. working.
 Formal with were Informal with was

Suppose she were here. What Suppose she was here. What

would you say? would you say?

4-. 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. 

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.

Verbs Followed by the Subjunctive

The Subjunctive is used after the following verbs:

to advise (that)
to ask (that)
to command (that)
to demand (that)
to desire (that)
to insist (that)
to propose (that)
to recommend (that)
to request (that)
to suggest (that)
to urge (that)

Examples:
 Dr. Smith asked that Mark submit his research paper before the end of the month.

Donna requested Frank come to the party.

The teacher insists that her students be on time.

Expressions Followed by the Subjunctive

The Subjunctive is used after the following expressions:

It is best (that)
It is crucial (that)
It is desirable (that)
It is essential (that)
It is imperative (that)
It is important (that)
It is recommended (that)
It is urgent (that)
It is vital (that)
It is a good idea (that)
It is a bad idea (that)

Examples:

It is crucial that you be there before Tom arrives.

It is important she attend the meeting.
It is recommended that he take a gallon of water with him if he wants to hike to the bottom of the
Grand Canyon.

Negative, Continuous and Passive Forms of Subjunctive

👀 The Subjunctive can be used in negative, continuous and passive forms.

Negative Examples:

 The boss insisted that Sam not be at the meeting.

 The company asked that employees not accept personal phone calls during business hours.
 I suggest that you not take the job without renegotiating the salary.

Passive Examples:

 Jake recommended that Susan be hired immediately.

 Christine demanded that I be allowed to take part in the negotiations.
 We suggested that you be admitted to the organization.

Continuous Examples:

 It is important that you be standing there when he gets off the plane.

 It is crucial that a car be waiting for the boss when the meeting is over.
 I propose that we all be waiting in Tim's apartment when he gets home.
Taken from: https://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/subjunctive.html

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

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%20subjunctive%20is%20a,anticipates%20will%20happen