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Park sang joon Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

It's time you [stop] living in fairy tale

Shrek is an orc loving Princess Piona.
After drinking a transformation potion, Shrek came looking for Princess Piona.
To him going the length of such a thing, Fairy Godmother attempts to talk into giving her up.

Fairy Godmother: Oh sweetheart, she's finally found the prince of her dreams.
Shrek: But look at me. Look what I've done for her.
Fairy Godmother: It's time you stop living in fairy tale, Shrek. She's a princess, and you're an orge.
That's something no amount of potion is ever going to change.
Shrek: But I love her.
Fairy Godmother: If you really love her, you'll let her go.

I thought "It's time you stop living in fairy tale" is a conditional two.
So I'd like to know here why "stop" is used, not "stopped."
Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

park sang joon I thought "It's time you stop living in fairy tale" is a conditional two. There is no "if" clause. So it is not conditional.

— AlpheccaStars

  • park sang joon I thought "It's time you stop living in fairy tale" is a conditional two.
  • There is no "if" clause.
  • So it is not conditional.
  • She is giving advice.
  • " are in the subjunctive mood if the "right time" has already passed.
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11 Answers
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park sang joonI thought "It's time you stop living in fairy tale" is a conditional two.
There is no "if" clause. So it is not conditional.

She is giving advice.
The verbs in a clause following "It's (high) time (that).." are in the subjunctive mood if the "right time" has already passed.
Fairy Godmother: It's high time you stop
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Thank you, AlpheccaStars, for your very helpful answer.Emotion: smile
Then I'd like to know if I need not use "stopped."
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park sang joonThen I'd like to know if I need not use "stopped."
It depends on what you intend:

1) You should have stopped already.
It's high time you stopped living in fairy tale, Shrek. (High is for extra emphasis.)

2) You should stop right now, or in the near future:
It's time you stop livi
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Thank you, AlpheccaStars, for your continuing support. Emotion: smile
In advance, I want to say to you, "I'm so sorry for my ignorance."
I
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Not to the grammar point, but Shrek is an ogre, not an orc.
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This speaker of BrE would use only a past tense after it's time.
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Well.. to the grammar point, I would have thought that "stopped" was right too.

It's time for you to stop
It's time you stopped.
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I use both forms haphazardly. To my ear they are equally acceptable and mean the same. (American English)
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BarbaraPAIt's time for you to stopIt's time you stopped.
I use both of those. I don't say "It's time you stop".
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I think I'm aligned with 5jj - but once you start saying it out loud over and over they all sound equally weird!
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