20
Unit 20: The subjunctive
UK vs US English
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- 1 Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
- 2 Reported speech in 90 seconds!
- 3 If or whether?
- 4 5 ways to use 'would'
- 5 Let and allow
- 6 Passive voice
- 7 Unless
- 8 Mixed conditionals
- 9 The zero article - in 90 seconds
- 10 The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
- 11 The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
- 12 The continuous passive
- 13 Future perfect
- 14 Need + verb-ing
- 15 Have something done
- 16 Wish
- 17 Word stress
- 18 Different ways of saying 'if'
- 19 Passive reporting structures
- 20 The subjunctive
- 21 When and if
- 22 Inversion
- 23 Phrasal verbs
- 24 The future
- 25 Modals in the past
- 26 Narrative tenses
- 27 Phrasal verb myths
- 28 Conditionals review
- 29 Used to - review
- 30 Linking words of contrast
Grammar Reference
The subjunctive - an introduction
The subjunctive is a verb form which expresses possible, unreal, imaginary or desirable situations. We see it most often in conditionals and wishes.
We also find it in sentences that start with: It + be + an adjective:
It is important that you go as soon as possible
It’s essential that he see a doctor
It’s crucial that they leave the building
It’s best that you not be at the meeting
These sentences are very formal. Notice that the form of the subjunctive is almost always the same as the form of the infinitive (except for be).
The other place we can find a subjunctive is with verbs like recommend and suggest:
I suggest that you be there on time
I recommend that he not drink so much again