Subjunctive Verbs

Subjunctive Verbs
A subjunctive verb is used to express (1) conditional tenses, most of which involves would and were.
(2) wishes and demands, the construction of which follows two strict rules
(a) that always comes right after the verb, and
(b) the second verb is always in the infinitive form and should is always omitted.
The second use of a subjunctive construction
1). The following verbs are used --- with such a construction to express importance (in such
moods only).
Also remember that such verbs have other forms of usage (followed by to infinitive, for
example) when used in other moods.
ask
propose
demand
recommend
desire
request
insist
require
prefer
suggest .
urge
e.g
The Indian government demanded that the UK pay compensations for damages of the Indian
embassy.
2. Nouns derived from subjunctive verbs above are also used with the construction.
demand
recommendation
insistence

request
preference
request
proposal
suggestion
e.g
The UK is considering the proposal that it pay compensations for damages of the Indian
embassy.
3. The adjectives below are also used to express subjunctive moods essential
imperative
important
necessary
e.g:
It is essential that the UK pay compensation for the Indian government for the damages of the
Indian embassy.
How to apply on Gmat questions:
The Forton-Dodd bill requires that a bank disclose to their customers how long they will delay
access to funds from deposited checks.
A.that a bank disclose to their customers how long they will delay access to funds from
deposited checks
B. a bank to disclose to their customers how long they will delay access to funds from a
deposited check.
C. that a bank disclose to its customers how long it will delay access to funds from deposited
checks
D. a bank that it should disclose to its customers how long it will delay access to funds from a
deposited check
E. that banks disclosed to customers how long access to funds from their deposited check is to

be delayed
Answer and Explanation Ans - C.
D, E - Subjunctive mood rules violated. In D, requires a bank that it should is ungrammatical;
requires that a bank is the appropriate idiom. In E, the use of the passive construction is to be
delayed is less informative than the
active voice because the passive does not explicitly identify the bank as the agent responsible
for the delay
B, like D and E, illogically shifts from the plural customers and funds to the singular check,
as if the customers were jointly depositing only one check
A, C - are all fine in the subjunctive rules while B conforms with the use of require someone
to do something.
The next point to choose the answer is a pronoun reference. Their and they in A and B do not
agree with singular noun bank so these two choices get eliminated also.