What is the subjunctive mood?
Everything we have learned up to the point has been in the INDICATIVE mood. The INDICATIVE states a fact, explains reality, indicates what has happened or is happening. It tells about actions, certainty, truth, the concrete, REAL LIFE, REAL FACTS, REALITY.
• I did my homework. --> • It snowed last Christmas. --> • I studied for my test & made a good grade. --> • She drinks water every day. --> • You are late. --> • I am in school. --> • Paul is learning Swahili. --> ••The INDICATIVE is what's REALLY GOING ON!•• |
The SUBJUNCTIVE is about uncertainty, hypothetical situations, wishes, wants, doubts, desires, things that may never happen. The subjunctive is not about reality; it is about POSSIBILITY. It may happen...but it may not...
• I wish I would have done my homework. • I wonder if it will snow on Christmas. • If I had studied for my test, I would have done better. • The doctor recommends that she drink more water. • It's important that you be on time. • I wish I were on vacation. • His parents insist that he learns Spanish too. ••The SUBJUNCTIVE is IN SOMEBODY'S HEAD!•• |
The concept of the subjunctive seems odd to English-speakers because we do not use it near as much as they do in Spanish. It's correct usage is slowly dying. (Ex: Justin Bieber's "If I was (ugh!) your boyfriend" is not correct! Neither is Meghan Trainor's "If I was (yikes!) you, I'd wanna be me too." They only sound correct to us because we are accustomed to it.)
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Verb "Trainer" from SPALEON--Some great practice for conjugating verbs in the Present Subjunctive
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the 3 things necessary to use the subjunctive:
• que ("that") -- The subjunctive usually appears in the dependent (or subordinate) clause and is usually introduced by the conjunction "que" after the main clause.
• a change of subject -- (a different person) -- One person attempts to influence the actions of another. The subjunctive is used when there is a change of subject between the main clause & the dependent clause.
• a "trigger" verb -- (verb of volition/willpower) -- In order to require the subjunctive, the sentence must have a "governing" main verb or "governing" impersonal expression of feeling or possibility rather than fact (which would be in the indicative). *The main verb must be something other than fact/reality, or what is called a "verb of volition." It can be remembered as a "WEIRDOS" verb.
• a change of subject -- (a different person) -- One person attempts to influence the actions of another. The subjunctive is used when there is a change of subject between the main clause & the dependent clause.
• a "trigger" verb -- (verb of volition/willpower) -- In order to require the subjunctive, the sentence must have a "governing" main verb or "governing" impersonal expression of feeling or possibility rather than fact (which would be in the indicative). *The main verb must be something other than fact/reality, or what is called a "verb of volition." It can be remembered as a "WEIRDOS" verb.