Classification of the subjunctive mood forms

The subjunctive mood forms in English may be classified into the following types:

THE SYNTHETIC FORMS

The subjunctive I

This form coincides with the plain verb stem for all persons and is used in set-phrases to express wish. E.g.:

Long live peace;

Suffice it to say that...

Far beit from me (to do something).

This form is also used mostly in American English (A.E.) in subject, predicative, object and attributive appositive clauses to express order, necessity, obligation, request, command, recommendation, etc. In British English (B.E.) should + infinitive is rather preferred in such cases. E.g:

I advise that you participate in this programme (B.E.: should participate).

The subjunctive II

This form coincides with the forms of the past indefinite (past continuous) or the past perfect (past perfect continuos) tenses and is used to express unreal condition in various types of subordinate clauses. The form of the past indefinite is used to express unreal actions simultaneous with those of the principal clause (example 1) or actions which refer to the present, future or to no particular time (example 2).

The form of the past perfect is used to express actions prior to those of the principal clause (example 3) or actions which refer to the past (example 4). E.g.:

(1) It's time they arrived (but they haven't arrived yet);

(2) If I were you, I would go there tonight;

(3) I wish I had bought that book yesterday (but I did not and now I regret it);

(4) If it had not been cold yesterday, we would have gone to the beach.

To express unreality the verb be. in the past indefinite tense is used for both singular and plural subjects in the form were (i.e.: If I were you... ; If he were here now..., etc.). Was (with /, he, she. it) is sometimes used in less formal speech but is not generally considered grammatically acceptable, thought such usage becomes more and more frequent even in the literary standard of the "World Englishes".

THE ANALYTICAL FORMS

The conditional mood

The conditional mood has the following structure:

In Modem English would is used for both singular and plural subjects of all persons (i.e. for I. you, she, it. we. they) both with reference to unreal actions in the present, future or in the past. However should and perfect infinitive may occur in the clauses of "the rejected past" having modal meaning of regret for what did not happen, e.g. "If I had bought a yacht I should be cruising in the Mediterranean now.

The form is used to express unreal actions in simple and complex sentences. Combinations of would (should) and the indefinite infinitive have reference to the present or future (or to no particular time).

E.g. If I were free now, I would stay with you.

Combinations of would (should) and the perfect infinitive have reference to the past (the so called "rejected past"). E.g.:

If John had heard about your marriage, he would have come to your wedding party. (You had a wedding party last month hut you didn't inform John so he didn't come).

The suppositional mood

The suppositional mood has the following structure:

This form is used to express problematic condition in the adverbial clauses of condition with reference to the future and suggests that the condition is unlikely to be met (i.e. it has a strong modal meaning). In principal clauses either will with indefinite infinitive or the imperative mood are used. E.g.:

If you should be in Kyiv again, I will be happy to see you.

If you should see Harry, give him our love.

These conditional structures can take inversion of subject and predicate and omit if. The resulting structures are pretty formal:

Should you be in Kyiv again, I will be happy to see you.

Should you see Harry, give him our love.

The suppositional mood is also used in subject, predicative, object and attributive appositive clauses to express order, necessity, obligation, request, recommendation, command, etc. (mostly in B.E.). E.g.:

It is important that the students should be informed about the conference.

Modal verbs

Modal verbs could and might followed by the appropriate infinitive may also be used to express unreality in certain syntactic patterns if the context so requires. E.g.: I wish I could go round the world in a boat. If you had been more polite, he might have agreed to what you proposed.

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