The subjunctive

· The subjunctive form is the same as the infinitive (without to). It does not show any marking for tense and can be used to refer to events in the past, present or future. We use it most often in that clauses after certain verbs (e.g. advise, ask, demand, insist, propose, recommend, request, suggest) and after adjectives (e.g. advisable, anxious, desirable, eager, essential, important, necessary, preferable, vital, willing), to express the idea that something is necessary or important:

At yesterday’s hearing the judge insisted(that) Mr Grant give evidence despite his relationship to the accused.

In future cases it will be vital that each party give full disclosure prior to trial.

We can use passive and negative forms of the subjunctive:

Members of the committee suggested England be excluded from future international tournaments.

Regulations require that officers not enter the crime scene without protective clothing.

The verb be has an alternative subjunctive form were which is sometimes called the past subjunctive and is used to talk about the imagined present or future and in conditionals.

· The subjunctive is used in reported speech, very formal language (e.g. regulations, legal documents) and in poetry:

She insisted that she pay her own way.

We require that all receipts be submitted to the committee for approval.

I know not whether laws be right, or whether laws be wrong. (Oscar Wild)

As the use of the subjunctive is rather formal or literary in British English (itis less formal and more common in US English), British English speakers prefer to use should + infinitive or the forms listed below in most situations:

It is vital that every applicant completethe form in triplicate. (subjunctive)

It is vital that every applicant should complete the form in triplicate. (should + infinitive)

It is vital that every applicant completesthe form in triplicate.(present simple)

It is vital for every applicant to complete the form in triplicate.(for + subject + to +infinitive)

· Fixed expressions. There are some fixed expressions which use subjunctive forms:

If he doesn't wont to see us, then so be It.([= then let it happen)

Bless you!

Long livethe republic!

'There's very little chance of winning this case.' Be that as it may,I'm not going to give up fighting.' (= Whether that is true or not, I'm not ...) I'll take it all the way to the Supreme Court if need be.(= if this is necessary)

The ‘unreal’ past

· After a number of expressions, like if only, we use past tenses (active and passive) to describe things in the present, past or future which are imagined or unreal. We sometimes refer to this use of past tenses as the 'unreal' past.

If only I was thin. (= I am not thin but I would like to be thin.)

Other introducing expressions like if only are: It's time .... What if ..., Suppose/Supposing ..., would rather, would sooner, as if, as though, wish.

We can use the past simple or the past continuous after these expressions to talk about the imaginary present and future:

• Present: It's time they were forcedto clear up the mess. (They aren't being forced to clear up at the moment.)

These kids act as if they ownedthe place. (They don't own it.)

• Future: / wish I were comingwith you tomorrow. (I am not coming with you tomorrow.)

We use the past perfect to refer to something unreal in the past:

Suppose the gun had been fired at me? (The gun wasn't fired at me.) I wish I'd never started this course. (I have started it.)

· Many speakers prefer to use were for all persons when talking about the imagined present or future, especially in more formal situations and in US English. This form is sometimes called the past subjunctive and is also used in second conditional sentences:

Suppose I wereto announce my candidacy at the next council meeting.

If only he werea little more convincing on the economic issues.

If I were you, I 'd think twice before refusing that offer.

In the above examples we can also use was but this is more informal.

· We use it's time ... to say that something is not happening and it should be:

It's time we left. (= We aren't leaving and we should.)

It's about time you paida visit to your grandparents. (= You should visit them.)

It's high time that the voice of the people was heardin this House. (= Their voice isn't being heard and it should be.)

We cannot use a negative after it's time ...:

X It's time we didn't stay.

Note that we can also use It's time to + infinitive or it's time for + object + to + infinitive:

I'm afraid it's time to putyour books away now, children.

Come on everybody. It's time for us to geton the coach

· We use what if, suppose/supposing (that) with the past simple or continuous to ask questions about an imaginary situation in the present or future and its possible consequences. These questions have similar form and meaning to those in second conditional sentences:

Suppose he askedyou to marry him, what would you say? (= If he asked you to marry him, what would you say?)

Sentences with these expressions describing an imaginary situation in the past have a similar meaning to third conditional sentences.

Supposing your parents had refused,how would you have felt? (= If your parents had refused, how would you have felt?)

And what ifhe had been thrown outby the landlord? Where would he have gone?

We often use what if, suppose and supposing to make suggestions:

Suppose you paidthe bill for once?

We use a present tense after these expressions to ask about an imaginary situation in the future that we think is likely or probable, or if we want to suggest that it is:

What if the plan doesn't work?

Supposing he getscaught at customs? You know how vigilant they can be.

· We use would rather/sooner with the past simple to describe preferences:

I'd sooneryou gaveme a cash refund. A credit note's no use to me. (= I would prefer a refund/I wish you would give me a refund.)

They are often used as a polite way to give/refuse permission, or make suggestions:

I'd ratheryou didn't smokein here.

I'm not keen on the idea of staying in. I'd soonerwe went outclubbing or something.

If the person expressing a preference and the subject of the preference are the same we use an infinitive instead of the past tense. Compare:

We'd sooner you spentyour bonus on something useful. (past tense: speaker and subject are not the same)

I'd rather spendit on something frivolous. (infinitive: speaker and subject are the same)

· We use the past simple after as if or as though to say that how something appears nowdoes not match with reality:

He talks to the children as though they wereimbeciles. (The speaker knows they aren't imbeciles.)

They are acting as if nothing had happened.(The speaker knows something has happened.)

But we use a present tense (including the present perfect) after as if or as though to describe how things seem or appear when there is a possibility that the appearance reflects something real:

He sounds as if he knowswhat he's talking about. (= Perhaps he does know.)

You look as though you haven't eatenfor days. (= You may not have eaten.)

We can use these expressions to be critical, ironic or sarcastic:

It isn't as if he'sin any position to pass judgment! (= He probably isn't in a position to do this.)

Wish/ If only

· We use wish/if only + past simple to express a desire for something to be different in the present:

/ wish I had more free time.(= I don't have much free time, but I would like some.)

The desire can be for something which is actually impossible:

If only I were young again

· We use wish/if only + past perfect to express a regret about the past, a wish that something different had happened:

/ wish that you'd toldme about this before I booked the tickets. (= I regret the fact that you didn't tell me about this.)

If only he hadn't been drivingso fast! (= Unfortunately he was driving very fast.)

· Wish/if only + would usually expresses a desire for someone to change their deliberate behaviour in the present or future:

/ wish you 'd stoplooking at me like that it's terribly distracting. (= You keep looking at me and I want you to stop.)

We often use this form to criticise or complain about something:

/ wish you'd stopshouting. I'm not deaf you know

We can also use the form with inanimate subjects because although we know they have no conscious control over their actions (they are not human), we give them human characteristics for emphatic effect:

If only the sun wouid come outso we could get on with the filming. (= The sun 'refuses' to come out. I want it to come out.)

The change we desire must be possible, even if unlikely. We cannot use would for an impossible change, e.g. one which the subject has no control over or a change to the past:

X I wish sports cars wouldn’t beso expensive. (Cars have no control over their price.)

I wish sports cars weren'tso expensive. (+ past simple)

X If only nuclear bombs would not have been invented.(a change to the past)

If only nuclear bombs hadn't been invented.(+ past perfect )

We can't use would when the subject of the wish and the subject of the change are the same. Instead we use a past tense, or could:

X I wish I wouldbe more energetic. (Subject of wish and would are the same.)

If only I were more energetic. / wish I could be more energetic.

· We use wish/If only + could have to describe a desire we know is impossible to achieve:

If only we could see the situation through his eyes. (We can't.)

We often use the form when we are expressing an impossible desire about ourselves:

/ wish I coulddance but I'm afraid I've got two left feet.

We can use could have for a regret about the past. It means 'It would have been nice if...':

/ wish your father could have beenthere to see it all. (= Unfortunately, he wasn'table to be there.)

· If only is often more emphatic than wish. Compare these examples:

If only we'd seen you coming. We might have braked in time, (a regret)

/ wish we'd seen you coming. We would have put out the red carpet! (a wish)

For greater emphasis we can put a subject between if and only in informal English:

If you only knew how much trouble you've caused.

Wish can be followed by that, but if only cannot:

X If only that you’d told me about it earlier.

/ wish that you'd told me about it earlier.