0
English 1b3 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Subjunctive

If anyone rings, can you take a message.

Should this be subjunctive:

If anyone ring, can you take a message.

---------------------------------

If he brings Matha, she will be upset.


Why is the subjunctive 'if he were to bring' rather than 'if he bring Martha'


-------------------------------

How do you know when to use present past, future, etc subjunctive?



Thanks for your help!!!
  

Top answer

Dear friend, English 1b3 Should this be subjunctive: If anyone ring, can you take a message. - this use is mainly confined to very formal, legal, or quasi-legal contexts. This is not at all likely to occur in speech in modern English.

— Andriy Lapin

  • Dear friend, English 1b3 Should this be subjunctive: If anyone ring, can you take a message.
  • - this use is mainly confined to very formal, legal, or quasi-legal contexts.
  • This is not at all likely to occur in speech in modern English.
  • It is perhaps better to always substitute the subjunctive with indicative ( rings ), as it is more adequate and much more frequent.
  • English 1b3 Why is the subjunctive 'if he were to bring' rather than 'if he bring Martha' - the former is an example of past subjunctive , while the latter (which is very infrequent with conditional clauses), is present subjunctive .
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

22 Answers
0
Dear friend,
English 1b3Should this be subjunctive:

If anyone ring, can you take a message.
- this use is mainly confined to very formal, legal, or quasi-legal contexts. This is not at all likely to occur in speech in modern English. It is perhaps better to always substitute the subjunctive with indicative (rings), as it is more ade
0
0
English 1b3Should this be subjunctive:

If anyone ring, can you take a message.
No. Use the indicative, not the subjunctive, in if-clauses in the present tense.

If anyone rings / If Henry gets sick / If Lucy wins the prize / If Paul is late
English 1b3Why is the su
0
0
Thank yu both.

1. First, Wiki says there is a future subjunctive. Is this an error or perhaps an archaic use of the subunctive?

2. Second, 'if she were to bring' is, according to http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/grammar_subjunctive.
0
0
English 1b31. First, Wiki says there is a future subjunctive. Is this an error or perhaps an archaic use of the subunctive?
I would not take that information very seriously. The examples given there involve either the idiom were to or the idiom should, both of which can be used to refer to future time, but that does not make them a future subjun
0
0
Thanks again, CJ, for your patience. Clear answer, by the way.

Is this correct: The subjunctive doesn't exist in only the present tense of if clauses. All other present tense subjunctive constructions use the subjunctive.

And do you have a source to which I can refer to further my understanding of the subjunctive, since all sources I have read thus far are woeful, far fr
0
0
English 1b3The subjunctive doesn't exist in only the present tense of if clauses. All other present tense subjunctive constructions use the subjunctive. Correct?
I don't understand "present tense subjunctive constructions". If there is such a thing, then yes, it seems obvious that they use the subjunctive.

Be careful: There is a difference be
0
0
It appears to me that you know your subjunctive mood, huh. Grammar interests me, but I have avoided the troublesome subjunctive--until now.

I understand your explanation, and thus the subjunctive.

Could you please, however, give me one example of the present perfect subjunctive (without the verb to be).

Thanks again.
0
0
English 1b3 give me one example of the present perfect subjunctive (without the verb to be).
Certainly. Note that it is rarely seen in comparison with other subjunctive tenses.

It is absolutely essential that the jury have heard all the evidence before delivering their verdict.

As with many such constructions, this could have been don
0
0
I'll be sure to bookmark this page.

Do not feel obliged to answer these two questions today. I'm sure there are others wanting your help.
    Inversion of the subjunctive. When is it possible?
If I had...

Had I...



If I were still angry..

Were I still angry...

And the putative should: Is it a form
0
0
English 1b3
    Inversion of the subjunctive. When is it possible?
If I had...

Had I...



If I were still angry..

Were I still angry...
Exactly. Those are the two inverted forms. You can use them as alternates to the uninverted forms. They are somewhat formal in style, however, s
0

Related Questions