Subjunctive Verbs

Subjunctive Verbs

A subjunctive verb is used to express - 

(1) conditional tenses, most of which involves would andwere. 

(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 andshould 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 paycompensations 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 paycompensations 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.