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MUSCOVITE Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

correct subjunctive mood?

Hi,

(1) It is required that all users be running PCs with Pentium 4 at the minimum

Is it correct?

(2) It is required that all users run PCs with Pentium 4 at the minimum.

I am 99% sure that (2) is OK, but (1) looks suspect to me (because of the -ing form, "be running")

If you could help me with this?

mus-te
  

Top answer

Both sentences are grammatical, but long-winded. You'd more likely hear something like: Minimum requirements are a Pentium 4 PC. The minimum requirements are a Pentium 4 PC.

— Anonymous

  • Both sentences are grammatical, but long-winded.
  • You'd more likely hear something like: Minimum requirements are a Pentium 4 PC.
  • The minimum requirements are a Pentium 4 PC.
  • This software requires a Pentium 4 PC at the minimum.
  • This application requires a Pentium 4 PC at the minimum.
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14 Answers
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Both sentences are grammatical, but long-winded. You'd more likely hear something like:

Minimum requirements are a Pentium 4 PC.

The minimum requirements are a Pentium 4 PC.

This software requires a Pentium 4 PC at the minimum.

This application requires a Pentium 4 PC at the minimum.
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MUSCOVITEI am 99% sure that (2) is OK, but (1) looks suspect to me (because of the -ing form, "be running")
Your instincts are correct.

The progressive form of the subjunctive is grammatically correct, but only rarely used.

CJ
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In British English, even the non-progressive subjunctive form is uncommon.
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Thank You, Anonymous!
AnonymousThis software requires a Pentium 4 PC at the minimum.
If you could also answer the following two follow-up questions?

(1) This software requires a Pentium 4 PC at THE minimum.
(2) This software requires a Pentium 4 PC at A minimum.

I understand "at THE minimum" and "at A minimum" are both grammat
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CalifJimis grammatically correct, but only rarely used.
Hello CalifJim! Thank you! Emotion: shake hands
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fivejedjoneven the non-subjunctive form is uncommon.
Sorry fivejedjon, if you could clarify your point?

Did you mean to say that even "It is required that all users should run Pentium 4 PCs at the minimum" is uncommon in BrEng? If you could recast this sentence then?
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MUSCOVITESorry fivejedjon, if you could clarify your point?Did you mean to say that even "It is required that all users should run Pentium 4 PCs at the minimum" is uncommon in BrEng?
That is not a subjunctive.

Actually, in the non-progressive form of your sentence, the indicative and subjunctive forms are identical: It is required that all users ru
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OK, thank you!
Let me recap:

(1) The form "should leave" is the one that both AmEng and BrEng speakers are fine with
(2) The form "It is required that every coworker leave the office before 6 pm" (=subjunctive mood) is common in AmEng but not BrEng
(3) The form "It is required that every coworker leaveS the office before 6 pm" in common in BrEng bu
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Yes, as far as BrE is concerned. I can't speak for AmE.
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fivejedjonIn British English, even the non-subjunctive form is uncommon.
?

I think you may have meant "non-progressive" instead of "non-subjunctive" in that post above.

CJ
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