Subjunctive with TO?

Question

Friends,Please, what is the difference between these two sentences?- I hope you BE there.- I want you TO BE there.Why do we have use "TO" in the second sentece? Are both subjunctive?Can the second sentence be written in Past tense?- I wanted you TO BE there.If so, what about the first one?Thanks a lot.brunces

Dave Phillips · Accepted Answer

I hope you be there is incorrect.

I hope you will be there. - The speaker would like them to be there. Maybe the listener might not be sure if they can be there or not.

I want you to be there. - Much stronger. The speaker wants them to be there.

You could say I want you there but if you use be then you need to.

I wanted you to be there - fine.

I hoped you would be there.

CalifJim · Answer

BruncesPlease, what is the difference between these two sentences?

- I hope you will BE there.
- I want you TO BE there.

You need will in the first one, as shown.

When you hope someone will be somewhere, you think it would be nice to see them there, but you realize that they may not be there.

When you tell someone you want them to be there, you are almost commanding them to be there.
______________

to does not form a subjunctive. No.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

In I hope that you be there, the verb to be is correctly used in the subjunctive. However, this use is extremely formal. Even in formal writing, something like I hope that you will be there is much more likely to be used. Perhaps this second use is more common because it more explicitly communicates future action.

The use of want with a verb in the subjunctive and without to is also correct - as in the sentence He wants that a compromise be reached. However, this sentence is so extremely formal that it may draw attention to itself. Want - unlike other verbs used to set up a use of the subjunctive - is exceptional. When you use want, it is also correct to drop the complementizer that and replace the verb in the subjunctive with its infinitive. Thus, the sentence He wants that a compromise be reached becomes the much less stuffy He wants a compromise to be reached. It's easier to just view the use of want as exceptional.

Finally, I wanted you to be there is also correct like the future-tense I will want you to be there.

Subjunctive with TO?

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