In Subjunctives^x, Plurals^x

Mr P wrote: The distinction is between functions, not forms. You want to write a sentence that expresses doubt, for example, or contingency. You decide to use the subjunctive mood. You look up the subjunctive, and find the correct form. As it happens, that form is sometimes the same as the...

It is my understanding that English has only a few subjunctive forms. The distinction is between functions, not forms. You want to write a sentence that expresses doubt, for example, or contingency. You decide to use the subjunctive mood. You look up the subjunctive, and find the correct...

Hello MM88 Why the correct form is "If I were you\if I were it" and not "was"? Doesn't the verb "to be" refer here to I\it? Or as a result of substituting "you", it must become plural? What about it? As MrP and JTT already gave good answers I have not much to add. I'd just like to show you...

Why the correct form is "If I were you\if I were it" and not "was"? Doesn't the verb "to be" refer here to I\it? Or as a result of substituting "you", it must become plural? What about it? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mr P has explained its use well, M88, but I must emphasize that is not "the correct...

In your ( 8) X 'In case someone ASKED, I was never here.'-- 'in case' means 'if' (possibility); but 'asked' is past tense (the asking already happened), so there is no logical possibility that the listener could subsequently tell them that 'she was never here'! Your only choice is 'in case...

Calif Jim I used past tense in the 'posing' example because I was imagining a press article describing the event. When we say "Manchester United are (or is) posing for photos", we are doing so in the belief that the listener or reader will infer we mean the players - or at least those players...

Hi Happy, This area is a very contentious one, so it is not surprising that you find different pronouncements within and between grammar books. Here is my opinion on the examples you present: (1) 'Who did it ?' Not I.' The pronoun stands in parallel to the subject 'who', and is a shortened...

molihua, If I understood your post correctly -but I'm not really sure I did- then your idea is not completely right. "I" requires the "plural" form (to use your terminology) of the verb "to be" only in a very specific case (that of the subjunctive, which has been already explained). Now, you...

Yes, I think it should be amended as you suggest. You could also keep "subjects" if you replace "No subjects" with "None of the subjects". 1. "No subject took a concomitant medication" (as you suggested) 2. "None of the subjects took a concomitant medication" I've never seen a written down...

It depends... In grammar, there is what is called the subjunctive mood of the verb. You use this mood of the verb when something is contingent, but is not the reality or fact. In this case, you use the plural past tense of the verb. Example: (A) If the president were Al Gore, then America...