Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Mood in Complex Sentences

Should + Perfect / Perfect Continuous Infinitive

Should + Indefinite/Continuous Infinitive

The Suppositional Mood

Subjunctive I in Simple Sentences

In simple sentences Subjunctive I is used:

· To express wish (in a few isolated expressions as a survival of the old use of this mood):

e.g. Long live our country!

Be ours a happy meeting!

Success attend you!

Good luck attend you!

Subjunctive I can be replaced by a modal phrase “ may + infinitive ”

e.g. May our country live long!

May success attend you!

· To express concession:

e.g. So be it! Be it so!

Come what will!

Happen what may!

Be this as it may!

Be it rain or snow…

Subjunctive I can be replaced by a modal phrase “ let + infinitive ”:

e.g. Let it be so!

Let come what will!

· In some set expressions:

e.g. Suffice it to say that

Heaven / God forbid! Heaven forgive smb. God save smb./smth from…

Thank God! God be thanked! God bless you! God bless me / my soul!

Far be it from me to do…

If truth be known…

…if need be

…as it were…

· In oaths and imprecations:

e.g. Manners / Charity be hanged! Confound it/ you/ these flies! Damn! God damn it! The devil take it! Hang it / all! Hang the fellow! Blast the fool!

· To express commands and requests, but only when the subject is an indefinite pronoun (somebody, everybody) or partitive combination (one of you):

e.g. Somebody go and fetch me a piece of chalk!

Everybody leave the room!

Subjunctive I can be replaced by “ let + infinitive ”:

e.g. Let somebody go and fetch me a piece of chalk!

· The Suppositional Mood is an analytical mood. It is formed by combining the auxiliary verb should for all persons with the Infinitive.

· The present Suppositional is formed by the auxiliary verb

e.g. It is impossible that he should say so.

It is disappointing that you should be ill.

It is disappointing that you should be lying ill.

· The Past Suppositional is formed by the auxiliary verb

e.g. It is impossible that he should have said so.

It is disappointing that you should have been lying ill when we came to invite you to the party.

· The suppositional Mood represents an action as problematic, but not necessarily contradicting reality. The realization of the action may depend on certain circumstances, but these circumstances are not contrary to fact.

· It is not used in simple sentences.

(Subjunctives: the Present Subjunctive corresponds to Subjunctive I;

the Past Subjunctive – to Subjunctive II)

The structure of some complex sentences demands the use of the Suppositional Mood in subordinate clauses. In formal English Subjunctive I can be used instead of the Suppositional mood. In less formal English we use a present tense form (but not if the rest of the sentence is in past).

I. Subjunctive I and the present Suppositional are used in the following clauses and patterns:

1. In subject clauses introduced by the anticipatory it after expressions of subjective appraisal:

		necessary
		important
	is	demanded		smb (should) do smth
It	was	advisable	that
	will be	arranged		smth (should) be done
		ordered
		desirable
		requested

It is necessary that we (should) be kept fully informed of any developments.

2. In object clauses after the verbs suggest, propose, etc. in the principal clause in the pattern:

suggest
propose
order		smb (should) do smth
demand	that
request		smth (should) be done
move
insist
arrange

I suggested that I should act as escort to one of the ladies.

3. In object clauses in the pattern:

		necessary
		important
think		demanded		smb (should) do smth
believe	it	advisible	that
consider		arranged		smth (should) be done
find		ordered
		desirable
		better

We believe it important that the agreement be concluded.

4. In object clauses after expressions of fear when the object clause is introduced by the conjunction lest:

to fear / be fearful
be afraid
to worry / dread		smb (should) do smth
be uneasy	lest
be terrified		smth (should) be done
tremble

I am afraid lest it should be late.

but:

to fear / be fearful			note: after expressions of fear the
be afraid			«may + infinitive» (for the present
to worry / dread			and future), «might + infinitive»
be uneasy	that	smb may/ might do smth	(for the past) are used in the
be terrified			clause introduced by that
tremble

I fear(ed) that I may (might) disturb you.

Note: if the clause of fear is introduced as an actual fact the Indicative Mood is used:

He fears that he will be blamed.

5. In attributive clauses modifying the nouns order, request, etc.:

	order
	request
	demand
have	suggestion
make	proposal		smb (should) do smth
express	idea	that
give	wish
	arrangement		smth (should) be done
	recommendation
	rule
	motion

He gave an order that nobody should leave the room.

6. In predicative clauses introduced by the conjunction that when the subject of the principal clause is expressed by an abstract noun order, etc:

order
request
demand			smb (should) do smth
suggestion	is
proposal	was	that
idea	will be
wish
arrangement			smth (should) be done
recommendation
rule
motion

The order was that nobody should leave the room.

7. In adverbial clauses of purpose introduced by the conjunction lest:

do smth	lest	smb (should) do smth

Do it at once lest she should change her mind.

Draw me a plan lest I should lose my way.

but:

	so that	smb may/can/ not do smth
do smth	that	smb might/could/ not do smth
	in order that

8. In adverbial clauses of concession after though, although, whatever, whoever, however, no matter, whenever, wherever:

Whoever you (should) be, you have no right to do so.

II. BOTH TENSES OF THE SUPPOSITIONAL MOOD ARE USED IN THE FOLLOWING PATTERNS:

1. In subject clauses of the kind:

		understandable
		natural
		characteristic		smb should do smth
		surprising	that
	is	strange, odd		smth should have done smth
It		doubtful
	was	impossible
		unpleasant
		a pity
		a shame
		essential
		inevitable

It is natural that he should accept the offer.

Note: withthe expressions «it is possible», «it is probable», «it is likely»

«may + infinitive» is used:

It is possible (probable, likely) that he may come tomorrow.

2. In object clauses in the pattern:

		natural
		strange
think		curious		smb should do smth
believe	it	odd	that	smth should be done
consider		pleasant		smb should have done
find		unpleasant		smth should have been done
		possible
		impossible

He believed it impossible that anybody should have coped with the task.

3. In object clauses after the expressions be astonished, etc.:

be astonished		smb should do smth
be surprised		smth should be done
be sorry	that	smb should have done smth
be pleased		smth should have been done
be grieved

I was pleased that she should have mentioned my book.

4. In attributive clauses modifying the nouns fear, worry, anxiety, dread after the conjunction lest:

have	fear		smb should do smth
express	worry	lest	smth should be done
feel	dread		smb should have done smth
	anxiety		smth should have been done

She had a constant fear lest something should happen to her son.

but:

have	fear		smb may/ might do smth
express	worry	that
feel	dread		smb may/might have done smth
	anxiety

She had a constant fear that something might happen.

5. In predicative clauses introduced by the conjunction lest after the nouns fear, etc.:

fear	is		smb should do smth
worry	was	lest	smth should be done
dread	will be		smb should have done smth
anxiety			smth should have been done

Her only fear is lest she should be mistaken.

but:

fear	is		smb may/ might do smth
worry	was	that
dread	will be		smb may/might have dome smth
anxiety

Her only worry is/was that there may/might be something wrong.

The Suppositional Mood is used:

1. In indirect questions beginning with why (Subjunctive I is possible but rare):

Nobody could explain why he should have done so.

2. Modifying the noun regret:

She expressed her regret that things should have taken a bad turn.

3. Modifying the noun time:

It is high / about time you should go.

note: Subjunctive II is in more common use here:

It is time we went home.

4. In conditional clauses when the fulfilment of the condition is unlikely though possible:

If I should meet her tomorrow I should / shall speak to her.

subjunctive I is used:

1. After the conjunction unless in the language of official documents:

The tariff shall apply to all merchandise shipped to all ports unless they be free ports.

2. In indirect questions beginning with if / whether and depending on expressions of negative or doubtful meaning:

We cannot tell if it be true.

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