Questions regarding the subjunctive verb mood
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1answer
418 views
Subjunctive mood: 'was' usage after 'I wish' and 'if only'
SFX Magazine had declared the sentence below as follow: 1) STAR TURN, 2) BEST LINES.
I wish Bernard Cribbins was my grandad. Perhaps he would be willing to
adopt?
Rattigan: “If only that ...
1
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1answer
322 views
Third conditional would have and would
I read the following on a website and I was wondering if it was okay? Because the books only talk about the standard three forms. What would it mean if we changed the second part of the statement to ...
1
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1answer
976 views
“If I would have lost you” vs “If I had lost you”
I watched a (Hollywood?) film the other day where a character visiting his just-hospitalised wife (who it seems will actually survive) says "If I would have lost you [I don't know what I'd do]".
I'd ...
1
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3answers
767 views
The third conditional for “if I could”
What is the third conditional for "if I could"? For example, we say:
If I had studied hard, I would have passed the exam. How about this:
If I could study, I would have passed the exam.[Is ...
0
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1answer
865 views
“If something were” or “If something was” in the 2nd conditional? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Which is correct: “what if there was” or “what if there were”?
Correct usage of was/were on the object of a sentence
“Was” or ...
3
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4answers
4k views
“So that it be” vs “so that it is”
Recently on IRC I said this:
I do not believe in proving the correctness of already constructed programs. I believe in formally deriving programs so that they be correct.
And I got almost ...
0
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2answers
521 views
“If we were going outside” in polite requests [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Was” or “were” in subjunctive clauses
Can we use "if you were going outside, please let me know" or "I was wondering if you were going outside" ...
2
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1answer
123 views
Is the indicative “correct” when dealing with a conditional future? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Which is correct: “what if there was” or “what if there were”?
Someone recently posted to meta.stackoverflow.com about a plural bug on Area 51, ...
3
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2answers
3k views
“If we were to agree” vs “If we are to agree”
In an undecided situation that needs to be discussed, which one of the following seems more accurate? Are they interchangeable?
If we were to agree on this deal, do you think we can start ...
3
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4answers
366 views
Past conditional statements
What is the difference between the following two statements?
If I went home for dinner, I took a glass of soft drink.
If I went home for dinner, I would take a glass of soft drink.
Are both ...
3
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3answers
203 views
Tense to use with “would”
In this sentence:
"We would also accept an international transfer, but in that case we would ask you to pay your bank's charges at the time of the instruction to ensure that we received the full ...
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2answers
98 views
How do you properly follow a subjunctive with a related statement?
I recently wrote the following:
…even if the story were originally true, there's no way that Obama was
president when it happened.
And then I stared at it, trying to figure out if the second ...
3
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2answers
130 views
Subjunctives and “am”
Hopefully this one is nice and simple. Which is correct:
I would never say that I am superior to a cleaner.
or
I would never say that I were superior to a cleaner.
I'm rather confused -- ...
4
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3answers
626 views
What's an example of good style for an “if/then” statement?
I'm not sure what's common for conditional statements, with and without alternative consequent clauses, in speech—even my own—but as a computer programmer, I'm niggled whenever I have to write English ...
2
votes
2answers
347 views
English Subjunctive [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why have the subjunctive and indicative converged in Modern English?
Why is it that in the English language, the past subjunctive is the same as the past indicative for ...
2
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2answers
706 views
Must conditional sentences begin with “if?”
I've been looking at conditional sentences (conditional clauses).
Every example I've see is along the lines of, "if [x] then [y]."
I've seen alternatives/substitutes for the if part:
were I ...
1
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3answers
544 views
What is the subjunctive mood?
I had always understood the subjunctive mood to mean a hypothetical present tense. However, I think it might also imply that the hypothetical event is outside the realm of possibility. Is that ...
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5answers
525 views
Is it correct to say: “I would do something, be it me”?
I mean that "I would do something, if it only were me. But it was not me, so I've done nothing".
7
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5answers
516 views
What's the tense for repetitive past action?
In English, "would" usually denotes a conditional voice. "If I were sleepy, I would go to bed."
But I've caught myself using it to denote repetitive or habitual past action. "On Thursdays, we would ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
Does “it is entirely possible that” require the subjunctive form of the verb following “that”?
For instance, take the following sentence (from a real email exchange):
it is entirely possible that one WebEx is not enough
Is it correct? Should it be
it is entirely possible that one WebEx be ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
“Was” or “were” in subjunctive clauses
I'm not a native english speaker, so even though I'm decently proficient at it, I don't really "know the rules" sometimes, and this is one that's been confusing me for a long time.
Which one is ...
2
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5answers
602 views
Am I using the subjunctive mood correctly?
Does this sentence use the subjunctive correctly?
He spoke as though he was the only one to tell the truth.
1
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1answer
717 views
Past/Present tense in a conditional statement
I'm not an English speaker. Even though I do understand conditional statements that are written by others but when it comes to my turn I still feel confused and don't really know how to organize it.
...
9
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1answer
363 views
English Subjunctive: An Imposition from Latin?
Often English grammar (as well as Koinê Greek, e.g "deponent", and probably others), has often been ruled by what I call "totalitarian grammarians" who impose Latin structures on it rather than doing ...
1
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1answer
422 views
Rule for when to use “could” as a helper?
It would be helpful if you could provide us further details.
Is the use of could wrong here? Should it be
It would be helpful if you provide us further details.
What is the rule when should ...
5
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2answers
261 views
How can you make “to be” explicit and simple in this future conditional sentence?
I can say "Jerry's been a bad pussycat this morning" or "Hey, Jerry, you be a good pussycat now" or "Jerry's been active all morning so he's being a good pussycat now". All these involve the use of ...
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3answers
1k views
“Important that John bring/brings” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should I use the subjunctive mood?
Given the sentence
John brings his lunch to school,
is it correct to say
It is important that John brings his lunch to ...
3
votes
4answers
5k views
“If I would go there, I would be in trouble” - correct?
Occasionally I've seen the construct:
If I would [verb], I would [verb].
... used, to indicate that the second clause is a condition of the first. For example,
If I would go there, I would ...
4
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3answers
486 views
Is there a different grammatical term for “If I was” than for “If I were”?
Many people would say the correct form is "If I were rich ...".
In modern colloquial English though most younger people would say "If I was rich ...".
Prescriptivists might say the latter is "the ...
4
votes
3answers
635 views
Third person imperative recommendations/suggestions/requests
My question is on the grammatical correctness of the following sentence with regard to the form of the verb 'join':
The plan is that the group join the party.
Other sentences that I think ...
0
votes
2answers
307 views
Subjunctive mood, progressive and perfect progressive tense
Are the following usages of subjunctive mood, progressive tense correct?
If I be being your wife a shrew, you have the option of divorcing me.
If I were being crowned May queen, I would ...
3
votes
1answer
762 views
How to conjugate the verb in a sentence that starts with “I wish…”
I generally find it hard to construct some sentences that start with "I wish, ..."
Example:
(Background:) Due to an incomplete technical documentation, we chose the wrong path, and ran into an ...
4
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4answers
591 views
Complete sentence: Is the subjunctive mood suitable for this case?
The worst that can happen is that he fail/fails/would fail/will fail the exam.
Which of these is (or are) correct? In Spanish, the subjunctive mood would be used, is the case similar in English?
...
1
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2answers
1k views
“If I were” or “If I was”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicates:
“If I was” or “If I were”. Which is more common, and which is correct?
“Was” versus “were”—word usage in Stack Overflow Ad ...
3
votes
1answer
906 views
Speculative conditional: Why does it use the past tense or past perfect tense?
We use simple past to state a hypothetical present situation that we would like to speculate about (If they were here, I would be happy), past perfect for a hypothetical past (had they been here, I ...
2
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4answers
2k views
Usage of the future subjunctive
In the Wikipedia article about the subjunctive mood, I read that the future subjunctive of own for the first person singular is I were to own.
In which situations is the future subjunctive used in ...
0
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1answer
206 views
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands
So I am trying to determine what kind of subjunctive is being used in "if...then" utterences such as:
"If you are hungry, eat something."
"If you are tired, go to sleep."
etc.
These phrases seem to ...
3
votes
6answers
1k views
How to correctly write this conditional phrase?
I’m struggling with a conditional clause. This one is easy:
If I were you, I would do xyz ...
But I have these three statements:
I was a student.
It was my vacation.
My professor ...
6
votes
2answers
707 views
“Would fly” versus “would have flown”
I am not a native speaker of English. Could anyone please tell me which sentence is correct?
If I had money, I would fly to Spain.
If I had money, I would have flown to Spain.
1
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3answers
2k views
Use of subjunctive with “in order that”
Is it correct to use "that+subjunctive" after the phrase "in order"?
For example: Nutritionist recommend that people at risk for anemia consume iron supplements in order that blood counts remain ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Correct usage of was/were on the object of a sentence [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Wasn't” vs “weren't”
On a Tuesday morning, which of these sentences is the better way to express that I already want it to be Friday?
...
3
votes
4answers
463 views
Tenses for two clauses joined by “if only”
Our school had won the match if only we have concentrated.
Our school would have won the match if only we would have concentrated.
Our school would win the match if only we had concentrated.
...
1
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1answer
214 views
How could I different the subjunctive mood from wrong tense or singular from in third personal?
Here is the example, which is right?
It's important he know this.
It's important he knows this.
It's important he has known this.
or, those above all right, but express different meaning.
1
vote
1answer
829 views
“Would not pass” or “would not have passed”?
Here is a situation:
(Jack and Dorothy are in the car)
Silence. They pass Blumergton. Dorothy looks out of the window, her face is obviously surprised.
Silence again. They pass Himilgreens.
...
2
votes
2answers
375 views
could or can + would?
If I could make it back to the office, I would come.
Should I use could or can here?
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1answer
1k views
“Any ideas are appreciated” or “Any ideas would be appreciated”?
Lets say I'm asking a question on a popular question and answer website, and I want to close by saying that I will appreciate any submitted ideas.
The first seems awkward because at the moment of ...
2
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1answer
1k views
Correct usage of “Could” and “Can” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do I use “can” & “could”?
In a company, the HR asked me:
"Could you please sign here".
I want to know whether it is correct or "Can " ...
18
votes
6answers
9k views
Which is correct: “what if there was” or “what if there were”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“If I was” or “If I were”. Which is more common, and which is correct?
Is this correct grammar?
What if there was a Stack Overflow on…
...
4
votes
1answer
448 views
Conditional sentences not starting with “if”
Were I rich, I would live on Long Island.
If I were rich, I would live on Long Island.
Is the first sentence still used, or is used in particular contexts (in example, to give emphasis to the ...
23
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5answers
2k views
Why have the subjunctive and indicative converged in Modern English?
It is to me a curious fact that the subjunctive mood of verbs in English has so nearly disappeared in modern times. In fact, even the correct form and usage of the subjunctive in Modern English barely ...
