0
English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Experts! Subjunctive Mood and Tenses
A forum member posted the following sentence, asking whether 'lost' or 'lose' should be used:
It is as if you had to give an interview after you lost/lose.
The answer given was 'lost' and the reason being that 'lost' goes with 'had.'
I don't understand neither why this was the answer nor the reasoning behind it.
'had' is the past subjunctive, referring to a hypothetical situation in the present time, whereas 'lost' is the past indicative, referring to a real situation in the past time.
Are verbs meant to match in form (i.e. past tense had; past tense lost) or in the time they express (i.e. had expresses present time; lose expresses present time)?
If that question is too hard to answer or decipher, here is a simpler question. Why do you think 'lost' should be used (instead of lose)?
Thanks
It is as if you had to give an interview after you lost/lose.
The answer given was 'lost' and the reason being that 'lost' goes with 'had.'
I don't understand neither why this was the answer nor the reasoning behind it.
'had' is the past subjunctive, referring to a hypothetical situation in the present time, whereas 'lost' is the past indicative, referring to a real situation in the past time.
Are verbs meant to match in form (i.e. past tense had; past tense lost) or in the time they express (i.e. had expresses present time; lose expresses present time)?
If that question is too hard to answer or decipher, here is a simpler question. Why do you think 'lost' should be used (instead of lose)?
Thanks
Top answer
I'd say that either verb will work, and that 'lost' is probably more common because we are used to regressing the dependent verb with the governing verb form .
- I'd say that either verb will work, and that 'lost' is probably more common because we are used to regressing the dependent verb with the governing verb form .
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
I'd say that either verb will work, and that 'lost' is probably more common because we are used to regressing the dependent verb with the governing verb form.
00
It is as if you had to give an interview after you lost/lose.
After reading the sentence again, I realise 'had' is referring to a hypothetical past situation. Therefore, lost/lose should be lost, correct?
Also, what if I want to say that 'having to give an interview' was a hypothetical present situation? Isn't the past subju
After reading the sentence again, I realise 'had' is referring to a hypothetical past situation. Therefore, lost/lose should be lost, correct?
Also, what if I want to say that 'having to give an interview' was a hypothetical present situation? Isn't the past subju
00
I think the correct sentence would be this-
It is as if you had to give an interview after you lose.
The verb 'is' is agreed by 'lose'.
If I had to express this I would have used-
It is as if you had to give an interview after your loss.
It is as if you had to give an interview after you lose.
The verb 'is' is agreed by 'lose'.
If I had to express this I would have used-
It is as if you had to give an interview after your loss.
0
Related Questions