By Grammar, Subjunctives

Re: "I would be surprised..."

I was concentrating on the choice between were and was (subjunctive vs. indicative), and I neglected to address the choice between was/were and is (past vs. present). You're referring to the use of past throughout once the main clause introduces the past tense. Hmmm. Defend it? That's...

Re: Want to know more about conjunctive

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...

Re: test

I'm starting to understand what the author is trying to say.I think I'm going into a grammar question after all. ''Life is a test. It's only a test. Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.'  LIfe is something you enjoy without...

Re: A question..

Well, I have two thoughts, neither of which relate to being deaf. You're at an engineering school. I don't know of very many engineers who value their writing skills - a few, to be sure, but not many. As an alum of that other engineering school in upstate New York with and R and and I in...

Re: were late / would be late

Oh my, I'm so surprised! I would never have thought you said it yourself! By the way, you said "If I'd have known", and not "If I'd known" (which can't mean "If I would have known", because you would be leaving out a syllable...).Anyway, I'll tell...

Re: I wish I was/were there

Were it not for the demise of grammar! "I were" is PAST tense SUBJUNCTIVE mood.  "I was" is PAST tense INDICATIVE mood. The subjunctive is used to express a counterfactual statement, a possibility, or express a wish. Therefore, "I wish I were there" is grammatically...

Re: Has/have

Hi,"have" is the "prescriptively correct" one, because it actually and grammatically refers to "languages".Now, the fact is that a lot of native speakers use the singular in those kinds of structures, because they make the verb agree with what comes before "one...

Re: had have had

Anon, Ok, I see you are a brave soul, making such a bold statement hiding behind an empty entity “Anonymous” calling people “ignorant”. Well, I tell you what, I think I have a couple of shots left in the barrel and I’d like you to have it. First, I am not sure what credential you have giving...

Re: grammar about the verb "to suggest"

Ray is right about the tenses. A more normal context would be: He suggests that she (should) be the one who does it. should be or be are subjunctives implying an obligation ("ought to") and cannot be replaced by the verbs you suggested. This is the so-called putative should. Do some...

Re: "should" in subordinate clauses

George Curme doesn't seem to agree with Palmer: --The past subjunctive is often used instead of the present indicative since the abstract principle is felt as more important than the concrete fact: I regard it as the saddest of things that a man should be allowed to bring up his son in...