If.... Then Constructions
When sentences use the If...Then construction, they do not necessarily have to follow the Hypothetical Subjunctive. They can follow a number of moods/tense patterns.
When sentences use the If...Then construction, they do not necessarily have to follow the Hypothetical Subjunctive. They can follow a number of moods/tense patterns.
Examples:
CORRECT: IF you study hard, THEN you will score highly.
CORRECT: You will score highly IF you study hard.
Note that then is frequently omitted from the construction and If does not have to be the first word in the sentence. There are five basic rules:
1. General Rule with no Uncertainty
CORRECT: IF Sophie EATS pizza, THEN she BECOMES ill.
IF Present Tense, THEN Present Tense.
This pattern also applies to WHENEVER...
CORRECT: WHENEVER Sophie EATS pizza, she BECOMES ill.
2. General Rule with some Uncertainty
IF Sophie EATS pizza, she MAY BECOME ill.
IF Present, THEN Can or May.
In this case, the helping verbs Can or May are used to convey a somewhat uncertain outcome.
3. Particular Case (in the future) with No Uncertainty
IF Sophie EATS pizza TOMORROW, THEN she WILL BECOME ill.
IF PRESENT, THEN FUTURE.
Another illustration of this rule is in the Present tense and Present Future tense: IF Sophie HAS EATEN pizza, THEN she WILL BECOME ill.
4. Unlikely Case (In the future)
IF Sophie ATE pizza TOMORROW, THEN she WOULD BECOME ill.
IF Hypothetical Subjunctive, THEN Conditional.
You can replace Would with Could and the meaning would be the same. The author feels that Sophie is unlikely to eat pizza tomorrow and would conveys this uncertainty.
5. Case that NEVER happened (In the past)
IF Sophie HAD EATEN pizza yesterday, THEN she WOULD HAVE BECOME ill.
IF Past Perfect, THEN Conditional PERFECT.
IF Sophie ATE pizza TOMORROW, THEN she WOULD BECOME ill.
IF Hypothetical Subjunctive, THEN Conditional.
You can replace Would with Could and the meaning would be the same. The author feels that Sophie is unlikely to eat pizza tomorrow and would conveys this uncertainty.
5. Case that NEVER happened (In the past)
IF Sophie HAD EATEN pizza yesterday, THEN she WOULD HAVE BECOME ill.
IF Past Perfect, THEN Conditional PERFECT.
Command Subjunctive
The next type of subjunctive mood, the Command Subjunctive, is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT on the GMAT!!!
The Command Subjunctive uses a Bossy Tone and therefore uses Bossy Verbs. These subjunctives are used to command people to do things.
Examples:
The agency REQUIRED that Gary BE ready before noon.
We PROPOSE that the school board DISBAND.
The verbs be and disband are in Command Subjunctive mood. They are similar to commanding Gary or the school board directly. If said to either of the subjects directly, the sentences would be like this:
BE ready before noon, Gary!
DISBAND, school board!
This is also called the Bare Form of the verbs to be and to disband without the word to. It is similar to the Simple Present with two exceptions:
1. There is no -s form in the Third Person Singularity.
2. The form of the verb to be is always be and not is, are, or am.
The sentence construction with a Bossy Verb is always as follows:
Bossy Verb + THAT + Subject + Command Subjunctive
We PROPOSE THAT the school board DISBAND.
Take note of the following common sentences used in spoken English:
INCORRECT: We propose the school board DISBAND. (That is mandatory)
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board DISBANDS. (Disband is singular)
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board IS TO DISBAND.
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board WILL DISBAND.
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board SHOULD DISBAND.
This is based on American English in which you cannot use Should as a command subjunctive. The Command Subjunctive tends to get complicated at times since it is not always used with a Bossy Verb. Certain Bossy Verbs such as want do not require a Command Subjunctive.
CORRECT: The vice-president WANTS her TO GO to the retreat.
INCORRECT: The vice-president WANTS THAT she GO to the retreat.
There is no rule governing this need for a Command Subjunctive. It is idiomatic and will need to be memorized.
Common Verbs that take ONLY the Command Subjunctive:
demand, dictate, request, require, suggest, stipulate, insist, mandate, propose
We DEMAND THAT he be present.
Common Verbs that take ONLY the Infinitive:
forbid, allow, persuade, advise, want
I FORBID you TO go.
Common Verbs that take either the Command Subjunctive or Infinitive:
beg, intend, order, prefer, urge, require, ask
We require HIM TO BE here.
We require THAT HE BE here.
Certain Common Verbs take an entirely different construction:
Peter prohibited Gary FROM GOING to the convention.
The Command Subjunctive can also be used with nouns derived from verbs such as a demand or a request:
His DEMAND THAT he BE paid full severance was not met.
Command Subjunctive can also be used in the form It is X, where X is an adjective.
It is ESSENTIAL THAT Gary be ready before noon.
Other adjectives conveying urgency are:
advisable, desirable, fitting, crucial, important, necessary, vital, mandatory, preferable, urgent, imperative.
Note that you can use the infinitive to be in this construction.
Do not use whether with the Command Subjunctive as this is old-fashioned usage.
INCORRECT: I like ice-cream, whether IT BE chocolate, or vanilla, or any other flavor.
CORRECT: I like ice-cream, whether IT IS chocolate, or vanilla, or any other flavor.
The next type of subjunctive mood, the Command Subjunctive, is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT on the GMAT!!!
The Command Subjunctive uses a Bossy Tone and therefore uses Bossy Verbs. These subjunctives are used to command people to do things.
Examples:
The agency REQUIRED that Gary BE ready before noon.
We PROPOSE that the school board DISBAND.
The verbs be and disband are in Command Subjunctive mood. They are similar to commanding Gary or the school board directly. If said to either of the subjects directly, the sentences would be like this:
BE ready before noon, Gary!
DISBAND, school board!
This is also called the Bare Form of the verbs to be and to disband without the word to. It is similar to the Simple Present with two exceptions:
1. There is no -s form in the Third Person Singularity.
2. The form of the verb to be is always be and not is, are, or am.
The sentence construction with a Bossy Verb is always as follows:
Bossy Verb + THAT + Subject + Command Subjunctive
We PROPOSE THAT the school board DISBAND.
Take note of the following common sentences used in spoken English:
INCORRECT: We propose the school board DISBAND. (That is mandatory)
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board DISBANDS. (Disband is singular)
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board IS TO DISBAND.
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board WILL DISBAND.
INCORRECT: We propose THAT the school board SHOULD DISBAND.
This is based on American English in which you cannot use Should as a command subjunctive. The Command Subjunctive tends to get complicated at times since it is not always used with a Bossy Verb. Certain Bossy Verbs such as want do not require a Command Subjunctive.
CORRECT: The vice-president WANTS her TO GO to the retreat.
INCORRECT: The vice-president WANTS THAT she GO to the retreat.
There is no rule governing this need for a Command Subjunctive. It is idiomatic and will need to be memorized.
Common Verbs that take ONLY the Command Subjunctive:
demand, dictate, request, require, suggest, stipulate, insist, mandate, propose
We DEMAND THAT he be present.
Common Verbs that take ONLY the Infinitive:
forbid, allow, persuade, advise, want
I FORBID you TO go.
Common Verbs that take either the Command Subjunctive or Infinitive:
beg, intend, order, prefer, urge, require, ask
We require HIM TO BE here.
We require THAT HE BE here.
Certain Common Verbs take an entirely different construction:
Peter prohibited Gary FROM GOING to the convention.
The Command Subjunctive can also be used with nouns derived from verbs such as a demand or a request:
His DEMAND THAT he BE paid full severance was not met.
Command Subjunctive can also be used in the form It is X, where X is an adjective.
It is ESSENTIAL THAT Gary be ready before noon.
Other adjectives conveying urgency are:
advisable, desirable, fitting, crucial, important, necessary, vital, mandatory, preferable, urgent, imperative.
Note that you can use the infinitive to be in this construction.
Do not use whether with the Command Subjunctive as this is old-fashioned usage.
INCORRECT: I like ice-cream, whether IT BE chocolate, or vanilla, or any other flavor.
CORRECT: I like ice-cream, whether IT IS chocolate, or vanilla, or any other flavor.
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