The oblique moods. The Subjunctive Mood.

Mood is a grammatical category that indicates the attitude of the speaker towards the action expressed by the verb from the point of view of its reality.

 

In Modern English we distinguish 3 moods:

 

1. The Indicative Mood shows that the action or state expressed by the verb is presented as a fact. The sentences in the Indicative Mood can be expressed both in the Active and Passive Voice.

We went home early in the evening. – We were brought home early in the evening.

2. The Imperative Mood expresses a command or a request.

Be quiet and hear what I tell you. Hush! Don’t make a noise!

 

3. The Subjunctive Mood shows that the action or state expressed by verb is presented as a non-fact, as something imaginary or desired. In Modern English the Subjunctive Mood has synthetic and analytical forms.

 

SYNTHETIC FORMS OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

1. The Present Subjunctive.

• Wretched is the infant’s lot,

Born within the straw-roof’s cot;

Be he generous, wise or brave,

He must only be a slave.

 

• In some set expressions:

Be it so! God forbid! Far be it from me to contradict you.

 

2. The Past Subjunctive.

• If I were ill I should like to be nursed by you.
• I want to go everywhere; I wish I were a gypsy.

THE ANALYTICAL FORMS OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

The analytical forms of the Subjunctive Mood consist of the mood auxiliaries should, would, may (might), or shall (which is seldom used) and the infinitive of the notion verb.

• Mr. Barkis … proposed that my pocket-handkerchief should be spread upon the horse’s back to dry.
• Yates wished Bing would stop thanking him, but Bing went on.
• Whoever you may be, Sir, I am deeply grateful to you.
• She lowered the blind and closed the shutters that he might not see the sun set.
• I propose you shall come along with me.

 

The Subjunctive Mood has no tense forms to denote time relations. The forms of the Subjunctive Mood indicate only if an action is thought of as prior or not to the moment of speech.

I would buy it if I had the money.	the moment of speech
I would have bought it if I had had the money.	prior to the moment of speech

 

 

SYNTHETIC FORMS OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

FIRST CONDITIONAL. REAL

Read the dialogue and answer the questions

1 Why can’t Cathy go out this weekend?

2 Where is Tom planning to go?

 

Tom: Hi, Cathy. What are you up to this weekend?

Cathy: I have to work. If I don’t finish my project on the history of the Internet, the teacher will be angry. What about you?

Tom: It depends on the weather. If it’s good, we’ll probably go camping. But we won’t go if it rains.

Cathy: Can you suggest any good books for my project? If you tell me the titles, I’ll look for them in the library.

Tom: Use the library computer. If you go to the Science Museum website, you’ll find lots of good information. I’ll send you the website address.

Read the sentences in italics and complete the table below.

condition	result
if + ________ tense	__________+ infinitive