Subjunctive Mood

What is Meant by Subjunctive Mood?

The subjunctive mood is the verb form used to express a wish, a suggestion, a command, or a condition that is contrary to fact. In the case of present tense, if we subtract ‘to’ from infinitive, the verb is subjunctive. In the case of subjunctive, parson has no effect. This means that no matter what parson is, the verb will not change. In Subjunctive mood, verb does not show agreement with its subject.

Example: The teacher advises that Mina learn the lesson.

a. The list of verbs: ask/demand/desire/insist/prefer/propose/recommend /request/require/suggest/urge etc

b. The list of Nouns: demand/insistence/preference/proposal/recommendation/ request/requirement/suggestion etc

c. The list of expression: essential/imperative/important/necessary/urgent etc

advice, advise, ask, demand, desire, desirable, essential, imperative, importance, important, insist, insistence, necessary, prefer, preferable, preference, propose, proposal, recommend, recommendation, request, require, requirement, suggest, suggestion, urge, vital

Structure

1. subjunctive word —+ that + sub+ verb (base form ) + ext.

(not added s/es/ing/ed/modal with verb)

2. Subjunctive word —+ that + sub+ verb (base participle form) + ext.

3. Subjunctive word —+ that + sub+ not+ verb (base form) + ext.

Example

1. I was in your position two years ago. (not in the subjunctive mood)

2. If I were in your position, I would do the same. (subjunctive mood)

3. If I were ordered, I’d go.

4. If music be the food of love, play on.

5. It is essential to solve the problem.

6. If I were a cat, I would lie in the sun all day.

Look at the following box

 

subject

base form of verb

ext

 

God

save

the King/Queen.

 

God

bless

you.

I wish that

he

cook.

 

It is essential

he 

be allowed

 

The doctor suggested that

she

not smoke.

 

It will be essential that

they

be heard.

 

She refused the request that

the prerequisite

be waved.

 

I wish that

it

 were

still in use.

It is essential that

every child

have

the same facilities.

It was important that

he

write

to me soon.

Our advice is that

the company

invest

in new equipment.

It is important that

she

be

present that time.

She suggests that

I 

work 

full time from Sunday.

The board recommended that

the motion 

be passed 

immediately.

It was essential that

he

guard

the box.

His requirement is that

everyone

be

computer literate. 

It is imperative that

the game  

begin

at once.

She will demand that

he

leave

the hospital premises.

He recommended that

each driver

report

his tips.

I suggested that

he

implement

a budget cut in March.

It is recommended that

she 

prepare

 a short speech.

It’s necessary that 

she

be 

in the room with you.

We asked that

he 

listen 

carefully

It is important that  

she

agree

to these terms.

Maya insisted that

the student 

seek 

the aid of a tutor.

Sally wishes that

she

were

taller.

MCQs on Subjunctive Mood

  1. If I ___ you, I wouldn’t hesitate.
    A) was B) were C) am D) be
  2. I wish I ___ a better singer.
    A) am B) was C) were D) be
  3. It’s important that he ___ at the meeting.
    A) be B) is C) was D) will be
  4. The teacher recommended that she ___ harder.
    A) study B) studies C) studied D) studying
  5. If he ___ taller, he could play basketball.
    A) is B) be C) were D) was
  6. I wish it ___ not raining now.
    A) was B) were C) is D) has been
  7. The manager demanded that all employees ___ on time.
    A) be B) are C) were D) have been
  8. It’s necessary that he ___ more careful next time.
    A) be B) is C) was D) being
  9. If she ___ more confident, she would succeed.
    A) was B) is C) were D) be
  10. I wish I ___ know how to swim.
    A) could B) can C) would D) will
  11. He acts as if he ___ the boss.
    A) is B) were C) was D) be
  12. They suggested that the plan ___ revised.
    A) is B) was C) be D) being
  13. If you ___ in my position, what would you do?
    A) were B) are C) had been D) was
  14. I would rather he ___ earlier.
    A) leave B) left C) leaves D) leaving
  15. The doctor advised that she ___ a specialist.
    A) consults B) consulted C) consult D) will consult
  16. If only she ___ here to see this!
    A) was B) were C) is D) be
  17. I wish I ___ more time to finish.
    A) have B) had C) has D) having
  18. The judge ordered that he ___ released.
    A) be B) is C) was D) being
  19. If they ___ faster, they would have caught the train.
    A) ran B) run C) had run D) would run
  20. She behaves as if nothing ___ wrong.
    A) is B) were C) was D) be
  21. I wish the weather ___ better.
    A) is B) was C) were D) be
  22. It is crucial that she ___ the report immediately.
    A) submit B) submits C) submitted D) submitting
  23. Suppose he ___ guilty, what would happen?
    A) is B) were C) be D) was
  24. I suggest that he ___ more respectful.
    A) is B) be C) was D) being
  25. If he ___ the answer, he would tell us.
    A) knows B) knew C) know D) has known
  26. It’s high time we ___ home.
    A) go B) went C) gone D) going
  27. She acts as though she ___ everything.
    A) knows B) knew C) know D) has known
  28. I would prefer that you ___ here tomorrow.
    A) stay B) stayed C) stays D) staying
  29. He recommended that she ___ a break.
    A) take B) took C) takes D) taking
  30. If I ___ more careful, I wouldn’t have lost it.
    A) were B) had been C) have been D) was
  31. The law requires that everyone ___ the rules.
    A) obey B) obeys C) obeyed D) obeying
  32. I wish you ___ me earlier.
    A) told B) had told C) tell D) telling
  33. If only I ___ how to fix it.
    A) know B) knew C) had known D) was knowing
  34. They insisted that he ___ removed.
    A) is B) be C) was D) has been
  35. I propose that we ___ now.
    A) leaveB) left C) leaves D) leaving
  36. The principal requested that she ___ punished.
    A) is B) be C) was D) being
  37. If I ___ in charge, things would be different.
    A) am B) was C) were D) be
  38. I wish he ___ more responsible.
    A) is B) was C) were D) has been
  39. If you ___ the instructions, you’d understand.
    A) read B) had read C) have read D) would read
  40. It’s essential that he ___ the form correctly.
    A) fills B) filled C) fill D) is filling
  41. I wish I ___ never met him.
    A) have B) had C) did D) was
  42. If only she ___ the truth.
    A) know B) knew C) has known D) had known
  43. They recommended that he ___ for the position.
    A) apply B) applies C) applied D) applying
  44. I would rather she ___ not complain.
    A) do B) does C) did D) did not
  45. If I ___ the chance, I would take it.
    A) have B) had C) has D) having
  46. He talks as if he ___ the owner. A) was B) were C) is D) be
  47. It’s important that she ___ her medication.
    A) take B) takes C) took D) taking
  48. I suggest that you ___ a doctor.
    A) consult B) consulted C) consulting D) consults
  49. If I ___ stronger, I could lift it.
    A) were B) am C) was D) be
  50. It’s high time he ___ the truth.
    A) tell B) told C) tells D) telling
  51. I wish you ___ more polite to others.
    A) are B) were C) had been D) have been
  52. If she ___ here, we could ask her directly.
    A) is B) were C) had been D) be
  53. The judge ordered that the prisoner ___ released.
    A) be B) was C) is D) will be
  54. It’s mandatory that every applicant ___ a photo ID.
    A) presents B) presented C) present D) presenting
  55. If I ___ you, I would apologize.
    A) were B) had been C) was D) am
  56. He behaves as though he ___ never wrong.
    A) is B) was C) were D) has been
  57. I demand that he ___ immediately.
    A) apologizes B) apologize C) apologized D) apologizing
  58. She looked as if she ___ seen a ghost.
    A) had B) have C) has D) is
  59. It is necessary that she ___ her work on time.
    A) finish B) finished C) finishes D) is finishing
  60. They insisted that he ___ the truth.
    A) tell B) told C) tells D) has told
  61. If you ___ your work, we could leave early.
    A) finish B) had finished C) finished D) have finished
  62. I wish I ___ enough money to buy that house.
    A) have B) had C) has D) am having
  63. Suppose he ___ the wrong train, what then?
    A) took B) takes C) take D) taking
  64. The teacher demanded that the student ___ quiet.
    A) is B) be C) was D) being
  65. If it ___ warmer, we could go swimming.
    A) is B) was C) were D) has been
  66. I would rather he ___ with us.
    A) comes B) came C) come D) coming
  67. The law requires that every citizen ___ taxes.
    A) pay B) pays C) paid D) paying
  68. If only I ___ how to solve this.
    A) know B) knew C) had known D) have known
  69. I wish you ___ me before coming.
    A) told B) had told C) tell D) telling
  70. She looked as if she ___ crying.
    A) is B) was C) were D) had been
  71. The doctor suggested that he ___ more rest.
    A) takes B) took C) take D) taking
  72. I propose that the motion ___ accepted.
    A) is B) be C) was D) being
  73. If I ___ rich, I would travel the world.
    A) was B) were C) am D) be
  74. It is important that he ___ his decision.
    A) changes B) changed C) change D) changing
  75. They demanded that the issue ___ resolved.
    A) be B) is C) was D) has been
  76. If I ___ to the meeting, I would have spoken.
    A) went B) go C) had gone D) was going
  77. I wish he ___ his temper more often.
    A) controls B) controlled C) would control D) had controlled
  78. It’s time she ___ up her mind.
    A) makes B) made C) make D) has made
  79. He acts as if he ___ everything.
    A) knew B) knows C) has known D) had known
  80. I would suggest that she ___ with us.
    A) stays B) stay C) stayed D) staying
  81. If only he ___ better choices.
    A) make B) made C) had made D) makes
  82. The coach insisted that the players ___ early.
    A) arrive B) arrives C) arrived D) arriving
  83. I’d rather she ___ here tonight.
    A) stay B) stayed C) stays D) staying
  84. It’s essential that she ___ the facts.
    A) knows B) knew C) know D) knowing
  85. The lawyer suggested that we ___ silent.
    A) remain B) remained C) remains D) remaining
  86. If I ___ better English, I’d apply for the job.
    A) speak B) spoke C) had spoken D) am speaking
  87. I wish my friend ___ with me yesterday.
    A) were B) had been C) was D) is
  88. The principal insisted that he ___ the rules.
    A) follow B) follows C) followed D) following
  89. If she ___ here earlier, she would have seen it.
    A) comes B) came C) had come D) was coming
  90. It’s required that each student ___ a form.
    A) submits B) submit C) submitted D) submitting
  91. I’d prefer that you ___ now.
    A) go B) went C) goes D) going
  92. The company recommends that all staff ___ vaccinated.
    A) be B) is C) was D) were
  93. I wish she ___ the answer already.
    A) knew B) had known C) knows D) know
  94. If I ___ the president, I’d lower taxes.
    A) was B) were C) am D) be
  95. It is necessary that he ___ the task carefully.
    A) do B) does C) did D) doing
  96. They requested that we ___ the room.
    A) leave B) left C) leaves D) leaving
  97. Suppose the train ___ late, what should we do?
    A) is B) be C) was D) were
  98. I wish it ___ snow tomorrow.
    A) will B) would C) should D) does
  99. If only you ___ your promise!
    A) keep B) kept C) had kept D) keeping
  100. The rule requires that the paper ___ double-spaced.
    A) is B) was C) be D) has been

Answers: 

1–10: C, C, B, A, C, B, A, C, C, A
11–20: B, C, A, B, B, B, B, A, C, B
21–30: C, A, B, B, B, B, B, A, A, B
31–40: A, B, C, B, A, C, C, B, B, C
41–50: B, D, A, A, B, B, B, B, C, B
51–60: B, B, A, C, A, C, B, A, A, A
61–70: B, B, A, B, C, B, A, B, B, D
71–80: C, B, B, C, A, B, B, B, A, B
81–90: C, A, B, C, C, A, B, A, C, B
91–100: A, A, B, B, A, A, D, C, C, C