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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
subjunctive-contextually clear?
Hi,
I believe you need to make the sentence a subjunctive if you want to send a message of urgency, that is you want a person to heed your warning. Is the subjunctive necesary if the need seems to come from contextually like the first one? Do you need to include the 'clue' word always for a subjunctive case to be established?
1. Look, he is in danger. Hey, John, your friend need to get away from that flammable substance.
Does it have to be?
2. He warned that his friend need to get away from the flammable substance.
I believe you need to make the sentence a subjunctive if you want to send a message of urgency, that is you want a person to heed your warning. Is the subjunctive necesary if the need seems to come from contextually like the first one? Do you need to include the 'clue' word always for a subjunctive case to be established?
1. Look, he is in danger. Hey, John, your friend need to get away from that flammable substance.
Does it have to be?
2. He warned that his friend need to get away from the flammable substance.
Top answer
Your belief is unfounded. There is no relationship between the subjunctive and urgency. Your sentences should read in the indicative: 1.
- Your belief is unfounded.
- There is no relationship between the subjunctive and urgency.
- Your sentences should read in the indicative: 1.
- Look, he is in danger.
- Hey, John, your friend needs to get away from that flammable substance.
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4 Answers
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Your belief is unfounded. There is no relationship between the subjunctive and urgency. Your sentences should read in the indicative:
1. Look, he is in danger. Hey, John, your friend needs to get away from that flammable substance.
2. He warned that his friend needed to get away from the flammable substance.
1. Look, he is in danger. Hey, John, your friend needs to get away from that flammable substance.
2. He warned that his friend needed to get away from the flammable substance.
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... your friend needs to get away from that flammable substanceThis is a main clause. Subjunctives are used in subordinate clauses. And in any case, danger and similar ideas are not associated with the use of the subjunctive in English.
CJ
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Thank you, Mr. M.
As you seemed to have said, the notion of urgency doesn't bring on the need for the subjunctive. How about this? Is this (case of an implied ordering??) in the subjunctive mood?
Nice work, John, it is all for today. You be here at 9 tomorrow to work on what is left. OK, John?
As to your response no.2, doesn't the verb 'needed' need to be
As you seemed to have said, the notion of urgency doesn't bring on the need for the subjunctive. How about this? Is this (case of an implied ordering??) in the subjunctive mood?
Nice work, John, it is all for today. You be here at 9 tomorrow to work on what is left. OK, John?
As to your response no.2, doesn't the verb 'needed' need to be
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You be here at 9 tomorrow to work on what is left.This is a form of the imperative mood-- a command.
Yes, needed is in the past, and I believe that is how I edited your sentence in my previous post:
2. He warned that his friend needed to get away from the flammable substance.He warned that the toy building might tumbl
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