The Subjunctive in English

Is the Subjuctive used in Modern English?

The Subjuctive is used in Modern English, but not very often. It is sometimes not easy to spot the subjunctive in English sentences. Have a look at the following example:

If you were rich, where would you spend your holiday?

If you substitute you with I, he or she – then you see that this is the Subjunctive. It has the same form regardless the subject.

If he were rich, where would he spend his holiday?

1. Use

1.1. Fixed phrases

• God save the Queen.
• Peace be with you.

1.2. after special verbs which are used to express wishes and commands + that

• The teacher insisted that he do the homework again.

1.3. after wish

• I wish I were in ...

1.4. in conditional sentences – Type II

• If I were you, I would phone her.

2. Form

infinitive (every time regardless the subjec)

Special use of the verb to be:

Present	Past
I be	I were
you be	you were
he, she, it be	he, she, it were
we be	we were
you be	you were
they be	they were

3. Examples

3.1. Affirmative sentences

1. She insists that Jo be at the meeting.
2. She insisted that Jo be at the meeting.

3.2. Negative sentences

1. She insists that Jo not be at the meeting.
2. She insisted that Jo not be at the meeting.

► The first sentences (1) are in the present (infinitive + s), the second sentences (2) are in the past (infinitive + ed). As you can see, the verb be does not change.

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