In Grammar^x, Expressions^x, Subjunctives^x

Hi quote user New2grammar Could you try to convince me why the abrupt change of tense makes sense quote Why should it make sense After all we re talking about English grammar Anyway somebody says it s an instance of unreal past quoteuser BBC Learning English We sometimes use past tenses to...

Thanks paco2004 for the information on the subjunctive in English You know more about it than 99 of English speakers No one understands the subjunctive in English because it is so subtle and complex and the rules for using would should could can might and may are so subtle that even linguists are...

Anonymous wrote Hi I usually edit some of the stuff my coworkers write around here I believe I have good knowledge of what I m doing but now I doubt it because of a document I m reading right now This is how it reads in many paragraphs It is recommended that the agency review and revise the...

After a past indicative tense form the distinction of meaning between present and past tense forms usually disappears entirely She desired that he might come at once We demanded that the burden should be removed In recent literature and present colloquial usage however the tendency occasionally...

According to The Oxford Companion to the English Language were is usually used in if I were you But in other cases it has been replaced by was bringing it in line with other verbs where the simple past tense is used for expressing hypotheses about the past and future eg if I only knew how Also...

Clive wrote Hi If he called tell him I ll be back soon If you said that to me I would have no idea what you meant I certainly wouldn t see it as referring to any kind of future calling It sounds like you are telling me if he called in the past tell him when next time he calls that I ll be back...

Mary Ansell has a chapter on the subjunctive mood at http www fortunecity com bally durrus 153 gramch09 html One of the complications in using the subjunctive is the fact that besides hypothetical condition clauses which require the subjunctive there are factual condition clauses that do not The...

I am not a grammar expert but for additional rules regarding the subjucntive verb usage you can go to http www bartleby com 64 C001 061 html 1 It smells as if someone has been smoking in here I think maybe someone has been smoking Correct 2 Do you hear that music It sounds as if they are having a...

Hi everyone I ve got a problem My grammar book would say They are looking at me as if I were mad I know I could use like instead of as if in informal situations and I could also use was instead of were informal again but I m confused about present tense usage where you should use the subjunctive...

It s a dream come true is a common fixed expression in my neck of the woods I never thought about its grammar though Could a formulaic subjunctive be lurking within