Subjunctive--still confused

Question

Thanks a lot for your replies, but I'm still confused.

The essay topic is "What would you do if your child were caught shoplifting?" It asks a class of 17-year-old students to pretend that they are parents now. So I thought every move the 17-year-old hypothetical parent makes in his essay should be written in subjunctive mood. Doesn't that mean past tense will be more grammatical?

In the following passage, is it OK to use the present tense as long as I stick to the rule of consistencey?

"If my child were caught shoplifting, I would be very sad. After all, his unlawful behavior INDICATES that I HAVE not taught him well. I would not scold him too harshly. Since I AM his father, I CONSIDER myself partly responsible for his mistake. Therefore, I would first try to understand the reason why he did this and then work out a solution to help him solve his problem. The most important thing IS that he KNOWS he HAS done something wrong and never MAKES the same mistake again."

Thanks again for your time.

Pieanne · Accepted Answer

Hello, Glee!
I find the passage OK, the present tense - to me - makes it sound as if the student is really involved in the situation. S/he really plays the part of that parent. It also makes the sentences lighter...

Rhetor · Answer

"If my child were caught shoplifting, [Hypothetical assertion. The "if" and the "were" indicate that the mood of the verb in this sentence is subjunctive.]

I would be very sad. [Contingent assertion. "Would be" is not subjunctive mood, but potential mood.]

After all, his unlawful behavior INDICATES that I HAVE not taught him well. [Nothing wrong with present indicative, but I would stick with the potential mood, and past tense: "His unlawful behavior would indicate that I had not taught him well."]

I would not scold him too harshly. [Contingent assertion. Potential mood is fine here.]

Since I AM his father, [Fine.]

I CONSIDER myself partly responsible for his mistake. [Fine, but better, for the sake of consistency, to stay with the potential mood as part of the contingency answering the original "if" phrase. "As I am his father, I would consider myself partly responsible for his mistake."]

Therefore, I would first try to understand the reason why he did this and then work out a solution to help him solve his problem. [Fine. I would write, however, "I would first try to understand the reason THAT he did this and then work out a solution to help him solve his problem." Finally, I would tighten the structure and remove some redundancy: "Therefore, I would first try to understand the reason that he did this, and then try to help him solve his problem."]

The most important thing IS that he KNOWS he HAS done something wrong and never MAKES the same mistake again." [We're still speaking of a contingency that depends on a hypothetical situation, so it's better to stick with the potential and subjunctive moods: "The most important thing would be THAT HE KNOW he had done something wrong, and never MAKE the same mistake again." The subjunctive mood doesn't show inflection. We could also use the infinitive, and say "The most important thing would be for him to know that he had done something wrong, and not to make the same mistake again."]

CalifJim · Answer

The answer to "What would you do?" is "I would ...", which is not subjunctive.
In the passage you present there are plenty of "... would ..."s. I don't think every sentence necessarily has to contain "would", so your use of the simple present tense seems all right to me. I would change the last sentence, however.

"The most important thing is for him to know he has done something wrong and never to make the same mistake again."

CJ

Glee · Answer

Thanks so much!

Words fail me to express my appreciation for all your prompt replies.

*** bless EnglishForward!

Subjunctive--still confused

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