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Enchanted Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Subjective mood.

A is talking to B with a topic that has nothing to with meteor or earth, they'are talking about demonstration. suddenly, A said,

A: Do you take it seriously if someone tells you that a meteor is going to destroy the earth.

I think subjective mood is more suitable here.

I am wondering what the difference here, if he used subjective mood? Why does he use general form of if?

thanks,

Ench
  

Top answer

I think you mean subjunctive, not subjective. I think you are saying that you prefer this: Would you take it seriously if someone told you that a meteor was going to destroy the earth? That is, in fact, the more expected form.

  • I think you mean subjunctive, not subjective.
  • I think you are saying that you prefer this: Would you take it seriously if someone told you that a meteor was going to destroy the earth?
  • That is, in fact, the more expected form.
  • The present tense is used here to make the discussion move lively, perhaps.
  • CJ
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3 Answers
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I think you mean subjunctive, not subjective.

I think you are saying that you prefer this:

Would you take it seriously if someone told you that a meteor was going to destroy the earth?

That is, in fact, the more expected form. The present tense is used here to make the discussion move lively, perhaps.

CJ
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Jim,
thanks, you are right. it was Subjunctive mood. When you say more lively, what does it exactly mean?

Some context: they had been kind of desperate of the situations. and they needed a change, an enormous change of the situations. So he is using it figuratively.

Ench.
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EnchantedWhen you say more lively, what does it exactly mean?
More as if you were really there. More as if it were something really important. More as if it were a question that needed to be answered immediately. Stylistically more exciting.

CJ

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