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Marold Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Suggest that went?

"She suggested that he went to the cinema." in meaning "She suggested that he go to the cinema."


It seems to me as if the highlighted part in the sentence would be the normal indicative in the past; however, in quite a reliable webpage where I've come across this sentence, they suggest that it bears the same meaning and is only another alternative for expressing the intended meaning.

The sentence seems a little strange for me. Could you please elaborate on this point so that I understand it completely?

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

Hi, Both sentences are correct, but to me they have different meanings. She suggested that he went to the cinema. ~ She implied that he went to the cinema.

— Regards

  • Hi, Both sentences are correct, but to me they have different meanings.
  • She suggested that he went to the cinema.
  • ~ She implied that he went to the cinema.
  • [indicative] She suggested that he go to the cinema.
  • ~ She advised him to go to the cinema.
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14 Answers
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Hi,

Both sentences are correct, but to me they have different meanings.

She suggested that he went to the cinema. ~ She implied that he went to the cinema. [indicative]

She suggested that he go to the cinema. ~ She advised him to go to the cinema. [subjunctive]

Some may say you can use the first sentence to mean the second one, but it is not acceptable in the va
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RegardsSome may say you can use the first sentence to mean the second one, but it is not acceptable in the varietyof English I speak.
That is generally acceptable for most speakers of British English.
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Hi,
fivejedjonThat is generally acceptable for most speakers of British English.
It might be true, 5jj, but nevertheless I think the subjunctive mood is not yet dead.

Regards
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RegardsBoth sentences are correct, but to me they have different meanings.
Exactly! Your explanation confirmed the things I wanted to hear. The post of yours is just the same that CalifJim has once posted. However, some issues raise here.

According to your attitude towards subjunctive, I assume you are a native speaker of American English unless I am
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Hi,
MaroldSo what conclusion should I come to?
English is open to various understandings; therefore, one should not see it in black and white.

Always use your common sense and stick to the answers that seem the most reasonable to you.

That's not to say I am correct and 5jj is not, or vice versa. We just hold different views on that issue.
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Thank you very much, Regards.

I will bear that in mind, as I understand your views on the matter.Emotion: wink
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MaroldBoth you and CalifJim hold the opinion that there is a distinction between the sentences in meaning. Nevertheless, there is jj5 who says it is acceptable in British English without any change in meaning, as he is a British speaker, I suppose.So what conclusion should I come to?
The conclusion is that on this particular point AmE usage differs from BrE us
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Yes, that's it.Emotion: smile How I sometimes dislike the differences between AmE and BrE, unfortunately I have to put up with it, since I have no
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RegardsHi,fivejedjonThat is generally acceptable for most speakers of British English.It might be true, 5jj, but nevertheless I think the subjunctive mood is not yet dead.Regards
I did not say that it was dead. I merely said that the indicative form in the sentence we were discussing was acceptable to most spekers of BrE. Actually, except in a few fixed phras
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Hi 5jj,

I take your point.

Regards
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