Grammar of English grammars; or Advanced manual of English grammar and language
Jacob Lowres
Mood is derived from the Latin word ‘modus’ which means ‘manner’. The mood of a verb denotes the manner in which the verb is expressed. An action may be spoken of as certain or uncertain in the form of a command or in a general and unlimited sense these various modes of representing an action are denominated the moods of a verb. When the action or state denoted by the verb is expressed in a general manner without any reference to person or number it is said to be in the infinitive mood and is generally preceded by the preposition to as :to play to sing to be.
When the verb expresses a command or entreaty or desires an action to be done it is said to be in the imperative mood as “Depart thou Forgive us our trespasses”. When the verb expresses a condition doubt or contingency upon which the doing of another action depends it is said to be in the conditional mood and is generally preceded by if though or some other conjunction as “If he were to write I would not go Though it tarry wait for it”
Respecting the number of moods belonging to an English verb grammarians pronounce very differently In most English grammars the number of moods is said to be five in imitation of the five moods in Latin In other grammars the system of four moods is preferred in others the number is reduced to three in others to two and in some grammars mood is wholly rejected
The systems most in use however are those of five four and three. SYSTEM OF FIVE - Infinitive Indicative Imperative Subjunctive Potential SYSTEM OF FOUR - Infinitive Indicative Imperative Conditional SYSTEM OF THREE Infinitive Indicative Imperative
It has already been remarked that the word mood means manner therefore the mood of a verb denotes the manner in which the action is represented. And as the doing of an action may be represented in different manners the forms of the verb which denote these different manners must be in different moods. For instance when an action is represented as positively taking place at the present or at any other time we use a particular form as: He was he is he intends. But when the doing of an action is represented as uncertain or so as to denote a doubtful condition we use another form of the verb as: If he were if he be if he intend. These different forms are occasioned by the different modes of expressing the action and therefore are different moods. Besides if English verbs had no moods several important principles of syntax would be quite useless. Indeed it would be absurd to tell us that one verb governs another that follows it or depends upon it in the infinitive mood if there were no such thing as an infinitive mood or to tell us that conjunctions connect the same moods of verbs if the English verb had no mood or only one mood.
Respecting the system of five moods, it should be borne in mind that the moods of a verb signify the different manners in which an action can be represented by a single verb; therefore that form called the potential mood is very properly rejected, for it was not formed by a single verb but by two different verbs taken together; as “I may love”. Here it is evident that may is no part of the verb love and therefore ought not to be called a mood of the verb love. In Latin there is a potential mood formed by a single verb but this is not the case in English. Then why torture our language into an agreement with the Latin. There is as much right for asserting that English nouns have six cases because there are six in Latin as for saying that English verbs have five moods because there are five in Latin.
In the expression ‘thou canst sing’ instead of calling ‘canst sing’ one verb in the potential mood, it is more consistent to consider the two words as separate verbs; canst is in the indicative mood, agreeing with its nominative ‘thou’ in number and person, and ‘sing’ is in the infinitive mood, having neither number nor person and governed by canst. The expression ‘I can sing’ means ‘I am able to sing’. Here ‘can’ and ‘am’ are evidently in the same mood, the indicative; and ‘sing’ in each case, is in the infinitive; in the former the sign to is omitted; in the latter the sign to is expressed.
‘ “If he come, I will go:” –
‘In the above sentence, his coming is uncertain; he may come or he may not come; but as my going depends upon his coming, “if he come” is in what is called the subjunctive or conditional mood, and come is written instead of comes.’- Pinnock.
‘The subjunctive. The criteria of this grammatical stumbling-block are, its requiring the presence of another verb to form complete sense, its being preceded by a conjunction, its requiring the second and third persons singular to be the same as the first, and its expressing future time without the aid of an auxiliary; thus, “Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, lest thou weary him, and he hate thee.” If it be possible, live peaceably with all men.” – The Practical English Lin gucaeduct.
“The Subjuuctive mood represents a thing under a condition motive wish supposition etc., and is preceded by a conjunction expressed or understood and attended by another verb” Muekay p 53 (Grammar of the English languageIsaiah J. Morris)
The Subjunctive or Conjunctive Mood implies a condition supposition or uncertainty respecting an action or event and is always preceded by a conjunction expressed or understood and followed by another verb as If he study he will improve a The Subjunctive from subjunge re to subjoin is so called because it is sub joined to another clause to render the meaning of the sentence complete as If he come I will go here if he come expresses the condition upon which 1 will go So If he study he will improve the conditional clause is if he study and the consequence is he will improve b When no condition supposition or uncertainty is implied but the sense is positive and absolute the verb is not considered in the subjunctive though it may be preceded by a conjunction as Though he hears he does not attend here the verb hears being positive is considered in the Indicative Though he is rich he conducts himself with humility here the verb is is in the Indicative c The subjoined observations will exhihit the proper import of the Subjunctive l in its different Tenses 1 The Present Tense is employed to indicate a present uncertainty or condition as If it rains If he is poor If he is honourable If Jobn lives If he is my brother If he acts with propriety he enjoys inward peace In all these instances an uncertainty is indicated respecting something which either does or does not exist at this moment but of which I am in doubt 2 The Past Tense is employed to express an uncertainty respecting an action or event which if it has existed at all must now be past as If Caesar was a tyrant If Alexander did conquer India If Napoleon was banished for his crimes If the man was injured restitution must be made In all these instances the Past Tense is properly employed 3 The Future Tense is employed to denote a future contingency thus If he be hereafter our king he will study the interests of his people If he offer himself a candidate he will succeed Unless he achnowledge his fault he will not be forgiven 4 The Suppositional Tense a term employed merely to distinguish it from the past was denotes an action or event which if it ever happen must happen at some subsequent period thus Were he in power he would inclose the w iste lands This evidently shows that he is not at present in power Were he honourable he would pay his debts implies that he is not honourable 5 The Subjunctive Mood is conjugated precisely in the same way as the Indicative when it denotes present or past uncertainty thus Present If he is poor deal with him gently here either he is or is not poor but the fact is unknown to me the Present is therefore employed So If thou art sincere act accordingly Past If he was present he certainly voted here if the action existed at all it must have been in past time So If thou wast angry at the event thou didst err A Future contingency is expressed 1st either by employing the verb without any change of termination as If thou hear any tidings If it rain to morrow or 2ndly by employing the auxiliaries shall should could would c with the proper variations for each person thus If thou shall or shouldst hear any tidings If it should rain to morrow If thou canst attend If thou couldst go The employment of the verb without the auxiliaries is the more general mode of expressing the Future Subjunctive.
Every verb implying condition supposition or uncertainty and preceded by a conjunction expressed or understood is in the Subjunctive Mood.
bWhen the sense is positive and absolute the verb not in the subjunctive mood though it may be by a conjunction as ‘Though he hears he does attend’
In the subjunctive as in every other mood the verb must be in the present past or future tense according to the sense implied as If the man is poor If the bill was presented If he persevere
In the Subjunctive Mood when negation is implied the past tense is used to denote present time and the past perfect to denote past time thus If I had the book 1 would send it implies that I have it not If I had had the book I would have sent it refers to past time If I have the book I will send it denotes mere uncertainty I may have or may not have it which of the two I do not know (“English Grammar and Style: To which is Added Advice to He Student» Richard Hiley)
Forms of Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood is used in cases in which what is expressed is not necessarily real, as opposed to the indicative case, which is applied to factual statements. The key difference is a change in the form of a given verb:Am or was is supplanted by were, be takes the place ofare, or singular active verbs lose their -s or -es endings. In conversation, it is common for speakers to fail to distinguish between the moods, but in careful writing, the distinction must be made.
1. Counterfactual
In this subjunctive construction, the writer expresses a notion contrary to fact, such as “If I were you, I’d return it to the store.”
2. Imperative
In this class of the subjunctive mood, commands and demands are expressed: “I demanded that she walk away.”
3. Necessity
This subjunctive form refers to requirement: “It is necessary that she fill out the form first.”
4. Proposition
This category applies to proposals and suggestions: “We proposed that they reconsider the offer.”
5. Supposition
In this form, the writer expresses a possibility: “If I were to accept the position, I’d have to relocate.”
6. Wish
This type of subjunctive form deals with expressions of desire: “I wish that I were able to go back and do it over again.”
The subjunctive case also survives in such idiomatic phrases as “as it were,” “be that as it may,” “be they [one thing or another],” and “would that it were.”
Present Subjunctive-Mood:
In sentences in the Subjunctive Mood, the verb is always in the singular and present tense form, even it the subject is in plural number, and the tense is in past tense or in future tense.
Sentences in which you would normally have used the verbs is, are, was, were or will be should have the root word ‘be’ if they are in the Subjunctive mood.
There are two ways in which sentences are formed in the Present Subjunctive Mood.
In formal phrases expressing a wish or a hope or a cause.
Examples:
• Long live the Queen!
• God, save the motherland!
• May heaven help you!
• Curse, be on him!
In a noun clause formed as the object a verb indicating a desire, intention, command, recommendation, request, resolution etc…
Examples:
• The public have demanded that a flyover should be constructed at the traffic junction.(Incorrect)
• The public have demanded that a flyover be constructed at the traffic junction.(Correct)
• The disciplinary committee recommended that the manager should be dismissed from service.(Incorrect)
• The disciplinary committee recommended that the manager be dismissed from service.(Correct)
• The court ordered that the defendant pays the plaintiff a sum of ten thousand dollars.(Incorrect)
• The court ordered that the defendant pay the plaintiff a sum of ten thousand dollars.(Correct)
• The government official was willing to share some secrets with journalist on condition that the source must be kept secret.(Incorrect)
• The government official was willing to share some secrets with journalist on condition that the source be kept secret.(Correct)
• The rules relating to test cricket mandate that the fielding team should bowl a minimum of twenty overs in the last session.(Incorrect)
• The rules relating to test cricket mandate that the fielding team bowl a minimum of twenty overs in the last session.(Correct)
• It is important that your son should start studying for TOEFL and GMAT straightaway if he wishes to go to USA.(Incorrect)
• It is important that your son start studying for TOEFL and GMAT straightaway if he wishes to go to USA.(Correct)
Past Subjunctive-Mood:
You have been taught the normal conjugation of the verb ‘be’ in the present tense as I am, You are, He is, They are, We are.
But in the sentence in the Past Subjunctive Mood, the grammatical conjugation for the present tense is itself “I were, You were, He were, They were”.
When the verb used is different from BE, it is the past tense form of the verb (such as stayed, walked, lent, tackled) That is used even in sentences in the present tense.
The Subordinate clauses, if any, in such sentences must also be expressed with verbs in the past tense.
The Past Subjunctive is used in the following circumstances.
After the verb ‘wish’.
Examples:
• I wish I were the Prime Minister of India for a year.
• How I wish Harvard University gave me admission in MBA.
• I wish my brother were here now so that he could teach me algebra.
In sentences describing contrary to fact situations:
Examples:
• If the earth were to rotate in the opposite direction, the sun would rise in the west.
• If we started now and travel at the speed of light, It would take us eight minutes to reach SUN.
In sentences starting with ‘as if’ and ‘as though’.
Examples:
• George tries to order me about as if I were his wife.
• Do you notice Robert walking as though he were drunk?
• William spends money as if he had won a lottery.
These sentences are in Subjunctive-Mood.
In sentences starting with ‘it is time’.
Sentences starting with ‘it is time’ indicate that it is already late for taking the indicated action.
Examples:
• The match will commence at 10o’clock and it is time you got ready. (Not ‘it is time you get ready)
• It is already half past midnight, and it is time we returned home. (Not ‘it is time we return home)
In sentences starting with ‘I would rather’, ‘he would rather’ etc…
Such sentences indicate one’s preferences, and also are expressed in Subjunctive Mood.
Examples:
• I would rather you took up the job.
• He wishes to study medicine
• But his mother would rather he applied to the engineering college.
These sentences are in Subjunctive-Mood.
English has present subjunctive and past subjunctive forms, which can be compared with the corresponding present indicative and past indicative forms (the familiar present and past tense forms of verbs). The distinction between present and past is one of tense; the distinction between indicative and subjunctive is one of mood. Note that these terms are used here merely as names for forms that verbs take; the use of present and past forms is not limited to referring to present and past time. (Sometimes the term subjunctive is used only to refer to what is called here the present subjunctive.)
The present subjunctive is identical to the bare infinitive (and imperative) of the verb in all forms. This means that, for almost all verbs, the present subjunctive differs from the present indicative only in the third person singular form, which lacks the ending -s in the subjunctive.
· Present indicative: I own, you own, he owns, we own, they own
· Present subjunctive: (that) I own, (that) you own, (that) he own, (that) we own, (that) they own
With the verb be, however, the two moods are fully distinguished:
· Present indicative: I am, you are, he is, we are, they are
· Present subjunctive: (that) I be, (that) you be, (that) he be, (that) we be, (that) they be
Note also the defective verb beware, which lacks indicative forms, but has a present subjunctive: (that) I beware...
The two moods are also fully distinguished when negated. Present subjunctive forms are negated by placing the word not before them.
· Present indicative: I do not own, you do not own, he does not own...; I am not...
· Present subjunctive: (that) I not own, (that) you not own, (that) he not own...; (that) I not be...
The past subjunctive exists as a distinct form only for the verb be, which has the form were throughout:
· Past indicative: I was, you were, he was, we were, they were
· Past subjunctive: (that) I were, (that) you were, (that) he were, (that) we were, (that) they were
In the past tense, there is no difference between the two moods as regards manner of negation: I was not; (that) I were not. Verbs other than be are described as lacking a past subjunctive, or possibly as having a past subjunctive identical in form to the past indicative: (that) I owned; (that) I did not own.
Certain subjunctives (particularly were) can also be distinguished from indicatives by the possibility of inversion with the subject, as described under Inversion below.