The Forms of the Oblique Moods
According to the Moscow school of grammarians there are four oblique mood forms: Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II (Present & Past), the Suppositional Mood, the Conditional Mood (Present & Past). The scope of their functions is wide: with the help of them the speakers express the way they view events – problematic (possible, highly possible, recommended, desirable, necessary etc.) or unreal. For instance, when the speaker expresses his wish by using one of the forms of the Oblique Moods they merely communicate to the listener what they consider desirable. This is the main difference between the Oblique Moods and the Imperative mood. When using the Imperative mood the speaker directly urges the person addressed to fulfill the order or request. Compare:
Be quiet!
I wish you were quiet. (My wish contradicts reality, you are not quiet.)
Do it at once!
If only you could do it at once!
Subjunctive I
Form:it corresponds to the Present Subjunctive in the St-Petersburg school terminology. The verb «to be» in the form of Subjunctive I is «be» for all the persons singular or plural. The Subjunctive I forms of all other verbs coincide with the corresponding infinitives without the particle «to». The verb in the form of Subjunctive I has no ending!
Meanings:Subjunctive I denotes an action referring to the Present or Future. It represents an action as problematic, not contrary to reality. It is used to express order, request, suggestion, supposition, purpose, etc. Until recently the form was restricted to very formal language, where it is still usual. It is, however, widely used in AE, and is now quite acceptable in BE. e.g.
Joseph insisted that his wish be carried out.
I suggest that he do the work.
He ordered that we be present.
Subjunctive I is normal, and quite familiar, in a number of fixed expressions which cause no problems:
Be that as it may God forbid
Come what may Heaven help us
Be it so Long live the Queen
God bless you Suffice it to say that
Far be it from me to contradict you
Subjunctive II
Forms:Depending on the time reference (present or past) linguists distinguish between Present Subjunctive II (it corresponds to the Past Subjunctive in the St-Petersburg School terminology) and Past Subjunctive II (it corresponds to the Perfect Subjunctive in the St-Petersburg School terminology).
In its Present Subjunctive II form the verb «to be» is «were» for all the persons singular and plural in the formal register. In everyday speech it is quite natural to use “was” in the singular. The forms of other verbs in Present Subjunctive II coincide with their Past Indefinite Indicative forms:
e.g. If you were an animal, what animal would you like to be?
If she knew their language, she could easily understand them.
Past Subjunctive II corresponds to the Perfect Subjunctive form in the St-Petersburg School terminology. The forms of the verbs coincide with the Past Perfect Indicative:
e.g. If you had had breakfast in the morning, you wouldn’t be hungry now.
Meaning:Subjunctive II represents an action contrary to fact. In adverbial clauses of unreal condition Present Subjunctive II denotes an unreal condition referring to the present/ future/ no particular time. Past Subjunctive II denotes an unreal condition referring to the past:
e.g. If I had any idea what to say, I wouldn’t keep silent.
I wouldn’t dance with him, even if he were Johnny Depp.
If you had called on him, he would have come.
If nobody had helped him, he wouldn't have coped with the task.
These forms can be used in other types of subordinate clauses (subject, object, predicative etc.). Being used there, Present Subjunctive II denotes an action simultaneous with the action/ event in the principal clause, Past Subjunctive II denotes an action prior to that in the principal clause:
e.g. I wish I knew him better.
I wish I had been born in a Royal family.