Search results for 'tag:Essays tag:Subjunctives' matching tags 'Essays' and 'Subjunctives'

Re: without 'will' ?

Mister Micawber — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 07:21:56 GMT

We welcome your opinions, Marcelinx, but it is dangerous to try to compare your native language so closely with English-- they do not work the same way. Nor is your logic very careful.

Well, I certainly hope he helps you.

There is nothing subjunctive about this. The form of the subjunctive verb-- as you said-- is the same for all persons: I help, you help, he help.

Hope (and it may have been my comments that Kooyeen refers to) indeed is among the verbs that commonly take the present simple indicative for future reference in preference to the 'will' future. Other verbs are see, assume, suppose and a few more (I suppose the train is on time). In addition, there are many more verbs for which the future can be cast as simple present indicative in the subordinate clause.

The use of the subjunctive in true unreal clauses (I wish I were King) is slowly being superseded by the indicative equivalent (I wish I was King), to the extent that the subjunctive form is needed only on language examinations and English class essays. It is not a matter of who you are speaking to, certainly.

Re: I wish I was/were there

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 10:37:32 GMT

And you're a teacher? Of kindergarteners?

I'm not an expert, but I have been educated formally on grammar all of my life. The "wish" usage is in the subjunctive tense, just like "If I were..." and although there are well known writers that use "was" that is simply incorrect. http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/061.html For formal documents and essays, I flinch when I hear "was" in the subjunctive form.

Re: Why "had" instead of "has"?

Philip — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 16:51:16 GMT

Maple wrote:

It is no accident that the twentieth century should be the century of highly centralized governments and totalitarian dictatorships; it had to be so for the simple reason that the twentieth century is the century of planetary overcrowding.

(the essay was written in the 20th century)

Why did the author use "had" instead of "has"? Is it a kind of subjunctive?

Not a subjunctive. I think it should be 'has'.

Why "had" instead of "has"?

Maple — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 10:34:52 GMT

It is no accident that the twentieth century should be the century of highly centralized governments and totalitarian dictatorships; it had to be so for the simple reason that the twentieth century is the century of planetary overcrowding.

(the essay was written in the 20th century)

Why did the author use "had" instead of "has"? Is it a kind of subjunctive?

None of is/are able vs. none of us was/were able

Mr Patrick — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 22:54:45 GMT

The following problem came up in class today:

None of us was/were able to communicate with the alien. Now, I was taught to find the head subject and then form the verb according to the number of this head subject, but here I am not sure whether none of modifies us (> were) or of us modifies none (> was).

Oddly, Google has this to say:

none of us was able (1.460 occurences, 60%)
none of us were able (970 occurences, 40%)

but also,

none of us is able (9.420 occurrences, 91%)
none of us are able (897 occurrences, 9%)

How strange! The preference seems to change according to the tense of the verb. What do you make of it? Can the difference in frecuency be explained by the use of subjunctive "were"? And, which of the four varieties would you allow in an essay?

Re: Will,Would,Shall,Should

Ivantalk — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 05:18:29 GMT

To my understanding, will and shall are used in future tense of course.

But would and should aren't only used in past tense.

Sometimes "would" is a polite way to give an ask question:

Would you like to have your dinner with me?

"Would" be applied to Subjunctive If Cluases:

If I were rich, I would buy a Benz.

"Should" when not using to talk about sth. past, it means "ought to"

You should finish your assignment after class.

No one should commit crime.

"Would" and "should" have the meaning of "past" when their usage like this:

I would have done the essay.

I could have done the essay.

Re: there should be

Philip — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 05:00:51 GMT

Mister Micawber wrote:

I would go for the subjunctive myself, since it seems to be a formal essay:

1. It's important that there be public libraries.
2. It's vital that there be a good public transport system.
3. It's important that there be plenty of open spaces.
4. It's essential that there be enough car parks.

I totally agree. However, if the subjunctive just sounds too formal, replace it with "that we have".

Re: there should be

Mister Micawber — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 03:21:31 GMT

I would go for the subjunctive myself, since it seems to be a formal essay:

1. It's important that there be public libraries.
2. It's vital that there be a good public transport system.
3. It's important that there be plenty of open spaces.
4. It's essential that there be enough car parks.

Subjunctive--still confused

Glee — Sat, 19 Mar 2005 11:59:12 GMT

Thanks a lot for your replies, but I'm still confused.

The essay topic is "What would you do if your child were caught shoplifting?" It asks a class of 17-year-old students to pretend that they are parents now. So I thought every move the 17-year-old hypothetical parent makes in his essay should be written in subjunctive mood. Doesn't that mean past tense will be more grammatical?

In the following passage, is it OK to use the present tense as long as I stick to the rule of consistencey?

"If my child were caught shoplifting, I would be very sad. After all, his unlawful behavior INDICATES that I HAVE not taught him well. I would not scold him too harshly. Since I AM his father, I CONSIDER myself partly responsible for his mistake. Therefore, I would first try to understand the reason why he did this and then work out a solution to help him solve his problem. The most important thing IS that he KNOWS he HAS done something wrong and never MAKES the same mistake again."

Thanks again for your time.

Re: Subjunctive

Glee — Fri, 18 Mar 2005 09:53:20 GMT

Thanks a lot for your replies.

The essay topic is "What would you do if your child were caught shoplifting?" It asks a class of 17-year-old students to pretend that they are parents now. So I thought every move the 17-year-old hypothetical parent makes in his essay should be written in subjunctive mood. Doesn't that mean past tense will be more grammatical?

In the following passage, is it OK to use present tense as long as I stick to the rule of consistencey?

"If my child were caught shoplifting, I would be very sad. After all, his unlawful behavior INDICATES that I HAVE not taught him well. I would not scold him too harshly. Since I AM his father, I CONSIDER myself partly responsible for his mistake. Therefore, I would first try to understand the reason why he did this and then work out a solution to help him solve his problem. The most important thing IS that he KNOWS he HAS done something wrong and never MAKES the same mistake again."

Thanks again for your time.