Subjunctive after 'to ensure'?

Semantico wrote on 17 Apr 2004:
[nq:1]In formal English, should the subjunctive be used after that verb, as is the case with order, demand, request etc? The sentence in question is: "Please ensure that the completed form is/(should)be/returned by Monday.."[/nq]
"Please ensure that the completed form is returned by Monday" is correct.

Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.
For e

[nq:1]Semantico wrote on 17 Apr 2004:[/nq]
[nq:2]In formal English, should the subjunctive be used after that ... is: "Please ensure that the completed form is/(should)be/returned by Monday.."[/nq]
[nq:1]"Please ensure that the completed form is returned by Monday" is correct.[/nq]
"Please ensure that the completed form be returned by Monday" doesn't sound ungrammatical to me (although

the editor/writer in me says, "Please ensure that the completed form be returned by Monday" could best be rephrased as:
"Please ensure the completed form is returned by Monday."

rbh martin

[nq:1]the editor/writer in me says, "Please ensure that the completed form be returned by Monday" could best be rephrased as: "Please ensure the completed form is returned by Monday."[/nq]
I'm not sure if you are responding to my first post in this thread. I agree that the latter sounds better, but I am wondering whether the former is ungrammatical.

Mike Nitabach

[nq:2]the editor/writer in me says, "Please ensure that the completed ... as: "Please ensure the completed form is returned by Monday."[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not sure if you are responding to my first post in this thread. I agree that the latter sounds better, but I am wondering whether the former is ungrammatical.[/nq]
I say it is ungrammatical. There may be some situations where "ensure" can ma

[nq:1]I am wondering whether the former is ungrammatical.[/nq]
Situational aspects can affect "correctness."
In business writing, there are rules not always considered appropriate in journalism, for example. Fiction and other forms of more creative writing can be a free-for-all. There are movements to codify writing styles for use in specific situations E-Prime is an example, as is Informa

[nq:2]the editor/writer in me says, "Please ensure that the completed ... as: "Please ensure the completed form is returned by Monday."[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not sure if you are responding to my first post in this thread. I agree that the latter sounds better, but I am wondering whether the former is ungrammatical.[/nq]
I understand your question, but I think it's unduly influenced by the modern

[nq:1]That said, I believe your sentence, "Please ensure that the completed form be returned by Monday" is technically a grammatically correctconstruction.[/nq]
I disagree. I do not believe that "ensure" takes the subjunctive. Whereas one might say "It is necessary that he be there," one would never say "Please ensure that he be there."
Adrian

[nq:1]I do not believe that "ensure" takes the subjunctive.[/nq]
Well, should it be: "Please ensure that the completed form IS returned by Monday." ? or "Please ensure that the completed form has been returned by Monday." ? While I see the clunkiness apparent in "Please ensure that the completed form be returned by Monday." (personally, I wouldn't allowed the sentence to be published for other

Michael Nitabach wrote on 17 Apr 2004:
[nq:2]Semantico wrote on 17 Apr 2004: "Please ensure that the completed form is returned by Monday" is correct.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Please ensure that the completed form be returned by Monday" doesn't sound ungrammatical to me (although the "is" version sounds better). Is it?[/nq]
I didn't say that the subjunctive form was ungrammatical, but it certainly