SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

 It usually expresses something hypothetical.

 It doesn’t have its proper tenses; therefore, it uses other moods, tenses and modal verbs, to express itself.
 It has three different forms which are required by certain expressions, words, constructions:

1. PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE:
a) PRESENT INFINITIVE: VB = for simultaneity;
E.g. It is necessary that he go there. = E necesar ca el sa mearga acolo.
b) PERFECT INFINITIVE: HAVE + VB III/ -ED = for anteriority;
E.g. It was necessary that he have gone there. = Era necesar ca el sa se fi dus acolo.

2. PAST SUBJUNCTIVE: VB II/ -ED = PRESENT MEANING; (The verb “TO BE” has the form “WERE” for all persons.
In spoken English, it is accepted the form “was”.)
E.g. I wish you came to the party. = As vrea ca tu sa vii la petrecere. (acum = present)

3. PAST PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE: HAD + VB III/ -ED = PAST MEANING;

E.g. I wish you had come to the party. = As vrea ca tu sa fi venit la petrecere. (atunci cand a avut loc = inteles de trecut)

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It is required by: It has certain forms:

a) Fixed structures: PPRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE:

So be it!  PRESENT INFINITIVE: VB = for
b) !!! Wishes (They can be followed by MAY/ MIGHT, as well.) simultaneity;
Long live our Granny! = Long may/ might live our Granny!  PERFECT INFINITIVE: HAVE +
Be happy! = May you be happy! VB III/ -ED = for anteriority;

c) !!! Orders :(They can be followed by SHOULD, as well.)

Everybody leave the hall! = Everybody should leave the hall!

d) !!! Impersonal structures: (can be followed by SHOULD, as well)

 They show: recommendation, decision, request, hope,
intension etc.
 examples:
 It is necessary that he take the exam. (It is recommended
that…/ It is desired that…/ It is suggested that…/ It is
required that…/etc.)
 They suggested that he leave immediately. (They
demanded that…/ They required that …etc.)
 There was a proposal that he have left immediately.
 TO BE + ADJECTIVE (It’s a pity/ shame/ surprise/
wonder)
It’s a pity you leave so early!
e) Modal verbs:

A. SHOULD, after:

 Orders: Everyone should hand in the paper!

 Impersonal Structures (from point b.)
It is recommended that you should take this pill.
 Impersonal structures: TO BE + ADJECTIVE (It’s a pity/
shame/ surprise/ wonder)

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 It’s a pity you should leave!
 !!! Questions with “WHY/ HOW” (They can be followed by
COULD and MIGHT, as well):
Why should you worry?
 !!! Lest/ For fear/ In case that + Vb. Affirmative! (“IN
CASE THAT” can be followed by MIGHT, as well)
He hurried up, lest he should be late.
 !!! Though/ Although/Whatever/ Till = These conjunctions
can be followed by MIGHT, as well. The difference is that
with “Might”, there is given a feeling of high uncertainty.
Whatever he should do, it’s in vain!

B. WOULD, after:

 I wish she would come with me to the party.

 !!! So that (it can be followed by MIGHT/ COULD, as well)
She hurried up, so that she would catch the train.

C. MAY/ MIGHT, after:

 In wishes: May you be happy! / Might he recover soon!

 It is possible/ probable/ likely + VB. Affirmative;
It is possible he may fail the exam.

NOTE: The interrogative forms of these expressions are

used with SHOULD.
Was it possible that he should leave so early?

 He was afraid that he might arrive late at the conference.

 !!! Questions with “WHY/ HOW” (They can be followed by
COULD and SHOULD, as well):
Why might he be so unhappy?
 !!! That/ so that/ in order that = more formal and more

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 uncertain than COULD/ WOULD;
She bought the flowers so that she might give them to her mum.
 !!! Though/ Although/ Whatever/ Howsoever/ No matter =
uncertain action; (They can be followed by SHOULD, when
the action is more certain.)
Whatever she might do, it’s in vain!

D. COULD, after:

 !!! That/ so that/ in order that (They can be followed by

MIGHT/ WOULD)
His mum gave him some money, so that he could buy the new
dictionary.

 !!! Questions with “WHY/ HOW” (They can be followed by

MIGHT and SHOULD, as well):
Why could he be so upset?

f) Certain expressions:

 !!!! I’d rather/ I’d sooner/ I’d prefer/ I’d better (‘d = would)
= when there is the same subject, these expressions are
followed by PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE (infinitive), but
when the subjects are different, they are followed by PAST
SUBJUNCTIVE;
I’d prefer be a nurse! / I’d prefer have been a nurse.

g) Certain expressions: PAST SUBJUNCTIVE: VB II/ -ED =

PRESENT MEANING;
 I wish;
I wish you were here. (PAST for present meaning) PAST PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE: HAD +
I wish you had been to the party from last week. (PAST VB III/ -ED = PAST MEANING;
PERFECT for past meaning)

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  !!! I’d rather/ I’d sooner/ I’d prefer/ I’d better (‘d = would):
when the subjects are different, they are followed by PAST
SUBJUNCTIVE;
I’d rather he came back. (PAST for present meaning)
I’d rather he had come back. (PAST PERFECT for past
meaning)

 As if/ As though;
He was acting, as if he were the boss.
He was acting, as if he had been the boss.

 Even if/ Even though;

She made the wrong decision, even if she had been warned not
to.
She competed in the contest, even if she weren’t too well
prepared.

EXERCISES

1. Put the verbs from the brackets to Subjunctive Mood:

a. ………………………………………………(you/ to be) happy and healthy! (2 variants)

b. Someone …………………………………….(to give) me a red pen! (2 variants)

c. It is necessary that ……………………………………………….(he/ to do) the project! (2 variants)

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d. It was necessary that ………………………………………….(he/ to bring) the homework! (2 variants)

e. They suggested that …………………………………………..(mum/ to take) an aspirin. (2 variants)

f. There was a proposal that ……………………………………………………(Mary/ to become) the manager. (2

variants)

g. It’s a shame…………………………………………..(he/ to fail) the exam. (2 variants)

h. Why ……………………………(he/ to be) so cruel? (3 variants)

i. He had learnt everything, lest the teacher ……………………………….(to ask) him from every lesson.

j. He threw the altered food, for fear that ……………………………………(he/ to get) ill.

k. He took the umbrella, in case that ……………………………………………….(it/ to rain). (2 variants)

l. He decided to leave, though his friend ………………………………………………..(to get) upset. (2 variants)

m. I wish …………………………(he/ to come) to the party. (future reference)

n. He learned hard, so that …………………………………………..(he/ to pass) the exam. (3 variants)

o. It is likely that ………………………………..(Mary/ to join) the club.

p. Why is it likely ………………………….(he/ to go) earlier?

q. He was afraid the ……………………………(she/ to break) the vase.

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 r. I’d rather ………………………………(to leave) sooner.

s. I’d rather …………………………………(you/ to leave) sooner.

t. I wish ……………………………………..(he/ to give) me the book now.

u. I wish ……………………………………..(he/ to give) me the book, when we met at our friend.

v. He speaks to me, as if I …………………………….(to offend) him.

w. He speaks to me, as if I …………………………….(to offend) him, when we had met at the party.

x. He passed the exam, even if ………………………………(not/ to work).

y. He passed the exam, even if ………………………………(not/ to work), when he was a pupil.

2. Rephrase the sentences using the given words:

a. It would be nice to attend the Japanese course. WISH

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

b. I’d prefer going to the seaside, than to the mountains. I’D RATHER

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

c. I wish he had become a doctor. I REGRET

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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d. You really have to study hard! IT’S IMPORTANT

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

e. It would have been nice that he had bought that big house. IT’S PITY

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

f. You should have left for a long time. IT’S HIGH TIME

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

g. Be your sister healthy and happy! MAY

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

h. Tom behaved very protectively with Jane, like a brother. AS IF

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

i. She had learned a lot for the exam, but, unfortunately, she failed the exam. EVEN IF

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

j. SHOULG + FOR FEAR

k. I WISH + WOULD
l. IT IS PROBABLE + MAY/ MIGHT
m. WHY + COULD/ MIGHT/ SHOULD

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3. Write a short grammatical composition in which to use as many hypothetical constructions as you can, of around 100
words: