0
Hela Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Correct a sentence (subjunctive) 2
Dear teachers,
On a webqite I read that we can say "It's high time we SEND (and not SENT) him a registered letter."
whether with the expression "it's about time" we can only use the subjunctive = "It's about time you SPENT (and not SPEND) a little less money."
Is this true ? Here the explanation the person gave:
"This is another of those cases of "real" and "unreal" conditionals, which in more rational languages would be regulated by subjunctive standards. The issue is how fully the speaker expects the action to happen. If there's a real intention to send that registered letter now that the reminder has been issued, then the verb is present. If the speaker has some doubt that we'll ever get around to sending the letter after all, then the verb is past:
• "It's high time we send him a registered letter." = a plan to do something, a "real" condition for a future action.
• "It's high time we sent him a registered letter." = a regret that we haven't done something, more focus on the past non-action, and a wishful thought about the future action that may or may not take place—an "unreal" (or unsure) condition for a future action.
As for "It's about time," I can't give a grammatical reason why it never sounds right followed by the present. The explanation must be semantic: "about time" seems to move backward more, drawing in shadows of the time that's been spent already, while "high time" seems more neutral, able to be look both ways depending on the speaker's attitude. "
Do you agree?
All the best,
Hela
On a webqite I read that we can say "It's high time we SEND (and not SENT) him a registered letter."
whether with the expression "it's about time" we can only use the subjunctive = "It's about time you SPENT (and not SPEND) a little less money."
Is this true ? Here the explanation the person gave:
"This is another of those cases of "real" and "unreal" conditionals, which in more rational languages would be regulated by subjunctive standards. The issue is how fully the speaker expects the action to happen. If there's a real intention to send that registered letter now that the reminder has been issued, then the verb is present. If the speaker has some doubt that we'll ever get around to sending the letter after all, then the verb is past:
• "It's high time we send him a registered letter." = a plan to do something, a "real" condition for a future action.
• "It's high time we sent him a registered letter." = a regret that we haven't done something, more focus on the past non-action, and a wishful thought about the future action that may or may not take place—an "unreal" (or unsure) condition for a future action.
As for "It's about time," I can't give a grammatical reason why it never sounds right followed by the present. The explanation must be semantic: "about time" seems to move backward more, drawing in shadows of the time that's been spent already, while "high time" seems more neutral, able to be look both ways depending on the speaker's attitude. "
Do you agree?
All the best,
Hela
Top answer
If there's a real intention to send that registered letter now that the reminder has been issued, then the verb is present. " = a plan to do something, a "real" condition for a future action. Isn't that just another way of saying that "should" has been omitted?
- If there's a real intention to send that registered letter now that the reminder has been issued, then the verb is present.
- " = a plan to do something, a "real" condition for a future action.
- Isn't that just another way of saying that "should" has been omitted?
- EX: It's high time that we should send him a registered letter.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
27 Answers
0
If there's a real intention to send that registered letter now that the reminder has been issued, then the verb is present. If the speaker has some doubt that we'll ever get around to sending the letter after all, then the verb is past:
• "It's high time we send him a registered letter." = a plan to do something, a "real" condition for a future action.
00
It's high time we send that letter. It's time to act! We must send it!
It's high time we sent that letter. It's time to act! We must send it! We have already wasted too much time. It should have been sent already.
The second version is nearly indistinguishable from the first, in my opinion. The second may sound a bit more urgent to some. I don't relate to the "real"/"unreal
It's high time we sent that letter. It's time to act! We must send it! We have already wasted too much time. It should have been sent already.
The second version is nearly indistinguishable from the first, in my opinion. The second may sound a bit more urgent to some. I don't relate to the "real"/"unreal
00
Dear Jim,
You said: "Yet, the second may actually have two readings:
1) It's about time you spent a little less money. It is time for you to start spending a little less money.
2) It's about time you spent a little less money. I've been impatient for you to start spending a little less money. It's good to see that you have actually begun to do so. (This reading of it is
You said: "Yet, the second may actually have two readings:
1) It's about time you spent a little less money. It is time for you to start spending a little less money.
2) It's about time you spent a little less money. I've been impatient for you to start spending a little less money. It's good to see that you have actually begun to do so. (This reading of it is
00
Whoop! Yes, there's a mistake. I meant 1) send and 2) sent (reverse of what you guessed). My sense is that "sent" gives slightly more urgency (the idea that some action is overdue) than "send".
It was about time ... spent ...
would be the same as It is about time ... spent ... , except that the time referred to would be in the past, not the present.
So it
It was about time ... spent ...
would be the same as It is about time ... spent ... , except that the time referred to would be in the past, not the present.
So it
00
0
It's about time you should send that letter.
Hmm. I wouldn't use "should" with "It's about time ..." It's quite possible that some speakers use it, though.
For an alternate I'd say "It's (about) time for you to send that letter".
CJ
Hmm. I wouldn't use "should" with "It's about time ..." It's quite possible that some speakers use it, though.
For an alternate I'd say "It's (about) time for you to send that letter".
CJ
00
On a webqite I read that we can say "It's high time we SEND (and not SENT) him a registered letter."
whether with the expression "it's about time" we can only use the subjunctive = "It's about time you SPENT (and not SPEND) a little less money."
Is this true ? Here the explanation the person gave:
"This is another of those cases of "real" and "unreal" conditionals
whether with the expression "it's about time" we can only use the subjunctive = "It's about time you SPENT (and not SPEND) a little less money."
Is this true ? Here the explanation the person gave:
"This is another of those cases of "real" and "unreal" conditionals
00
http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/061.html
The present subjunctive is most familiar to us in formulaic expressions such as *** help him, be that as it may, come what may, and suffice it to say. It also occurs in that clauses used to state commands or to express intentions or necessity:
We i
The present subjunctive is most familiar to us in formulaic expressions such as *** help him, be that as it may, come what may, and suffice it to say. It also occurs in that clauses used to state commands or to express intentions or necessity:
We i
00
Dear teachers,
1) Now I'm getting really confused because somebody told me that "sent" after "It's high time" is not a subjunctive. What is your opinion?
2) what's the difference in meaning between:
a) "It is high time she WAS in bed / WENT to bed" (indicative) &
b) "It is high time she WERE in bed / WENT to bed" (subjunctive) &
c) "It is about time she
1) Now I'm getting really confused because somebody told me that "sent" after "It's high time" is not a subjunctive. What is your opinion?
2) what's the difference in meaning between:
a) "It is high time she WAS in bed / WENT to bed" (indicative) &
b) "It is high time she WERE in bed / WENT to bed" (subjunctive) &
c) "It is about time she
00
Hello Hela
I think the question you raised is very subtle. One of my grammar books (written in Japanese) says grammatically it should be a subjunctive construction but the book also says that now almost nobody uses "It's (high) time I/he/she were in bed" and almost everybody uses "It's (high) time I/he/she was in bed" instead. So I think you could take it as one of special
I think the question you raised is very subtle. One of my grammar books (written in Japanese) says grammatically it should be a subjunctive construction but the book also says that now almost nobody uses "It's (high) time I/he/she were in bed" and almost everybody uses "It's (high) time I/he/she was in bed" instead. So I think you could take it as one of special
0
Related Questions