By Modals, Subjunctives

Thanks..If someone says that modals can also be understood as a kind of subjunctive, what would you say?

This is a modal construction (could), not a subjunctive.Here's a subjunctive (underlined): It is important that you be right. I'm not sure what you're asking, I guess.CJ

. Yes, we use 'had to' for past 'must' since the verb is imperfect-- it hasn't a past form for this use.Should after suggested, etc is a different should-- it is called putative-should, and is a mostly BrE equivalent of the subjunctive:He suggested that I go to church...

Hello... Can somebody help me this? "I hope you'd be successful." (would be...)Is this correct? Because I know the subjunctive hope can also work with the modal verb would, meaing that the speaker is expressing the suppostional and unreal nature of that hope. Please help me. I am a...

BTW, placing too many subjunctive mood forms in the same sentence (as you do in the last sentence) is not recommended. Restrain yourself, if you want to keep clarity to your sentences.

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...

It's not subjunctive. It's the modal use of need. Modal need can occur in non-assertive contexts. Modals never take the s in the first person singular of the present tense the way non-modal verbs do. In that way they resemble subjunctive forms, which are also missing the s. The...

No. This is not the reason. We borrow past modals into present time to give them a conditional flavor (conditional, not subjunctive) -- to express something more tentative than the present forms suggest. The idea is that it looks like a question you would be able to ask someone, with the...

Marius Hancu wrote: Goodman wrote: Can i say: It is essential that we be informed of your plans. Yes! Help him understand - OkIt is essential that we should be informed of your plans. We insist that he must be on time There are those who use modal in subjunctive which in my opinion is...

Avangi wrote: Goodman wrote:There are those who use modal in subjunctive which in my opinion is improper but some considered it acceptable. I wouldn't not ? recommend it. Hi Goodman, Could you please give an example? - A. Avangi, I hope I am not another *** you are after This is...