Modo Subjuntivo
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After verbs like demand, suggest, insist, recommend and request, English uses the subjunctive: the base form of the verb, with no -s and no tense change: 'I suggest he be on time' (not 'is'), 'They demanded that she apologise' (not 'apologises').
This form is the same for all subjects. It often follows 'that', which can be kept or, informally, dropped.
Ejemplos
I suggest he be on time for once.
Base form 'be', not 'is'.
They demanded that she apologise immediately.
'apologise', no -s (subjunctive).
He insisted that we stay for dinner.
Base form 'stay' after insist.
suggest he be
/səˈdʒest hiː biː/
I suggest he be on time for once.
demand that she
/dɪˈmɑːnd ðæt ʃiː/
They demanded that she apologise immediately.
insist that we
/ɪnˈsɪst ðæt wiː/
He insisted that we stay for dinner.
recommend they
/ˌrekəˈmend ðeɪ/
I recommend they take a different route.
Choose the subjunctive: They demanded that she ___ immediately.
Subjunctive 'to be': I suggest he ___ on time for once.
The subjunctive also follows 'It is + adjective + that' with adjectives like essential, important, vital, crucial: 'It is essential that everyone arrive on time' (not 'arrives').
Again, use the base form for all subjects. This is typical of formal and written English.
Ejemplos
It is essential that everyone arrive on time.
Base form 'arrive', not 'arrives'.
It is important that he understand the risks.
'understand', no -s.
It is vital that she sign the document today.
Base form 'sign' (subjunctive).
essential that
/ɪˈsenʃəl ðæt/
It is essential that everyone arrive on time.
important that
/ɪmˈpɔːrtənt ðæt/
It is important that he understand the risks.
vital that she
/ˈvaɪtəl ðæt ʃiː/
It is vital that she sign the document today.
crucial that
/ˈkruːʃəl ðæt/
It is crucial that the team work as one.
Choose the subjunctive: It is important that he ___ the risks.
Subjunctive of 'arrive': It is essential that everyone ___ on time.
Some set phrases preserve an old subjunctive form: 'Long live the king!', 'God save the Queen', 'Be that as it may', 'Heaven forbid'.
You don't need to analyse these — just learn them as fixed expressions. They show the subjunctive's older role of expressing wishes.
Ejemplos
Long live the king!
Fixed subjunctive expressing a wish.
Be that as it may, the rules still apply.
Set phrase = 'even if that is true'.
Heaven forbid that you should be late!
Fixed expression of strong hope it won't happen.
Long live
/lɒŋ lɪv/
Long live the king!
God save
/ɡɒd seɪv/
God save the Queen.
Be that as it may
/biː ðæt əz ɪt meɪ/
Be that as it may, the rules still apply.
Heaven forbid
/ˈhevən fərˈbɪd/
Heaven forbid that you should be late!
Which phrase means 'even if that is true'?
Complete the fixed expression: ___ live the king!
In formal hypotheticals, 'were' is used for all subjects, including I/he/she/it: 'If I were you...', 'She acts as if she were the boss.'
It can also appear in inverted conditionals: 'Were he to apologise, all would be forgiven' (= If he were to apologise).
Ejemplos
If I were you, I would reconsider.
'were' for all subjects in hypotheticals.
Were he to apologise, all would be forgiven.
Inverted conditional with 'were'.
She acts as if she were the boss.
'as if' + were for an unreal comparison.
If I were
/ɪf aɪ wɜːr/
If I were you, I would reconsider.
Were he to
/wɜːr hiː tə/
Were he to apologise, all would be forgiven.
as if she were
/əz ɪf ʃiː wɜːr/
She acts as if she were the boss.
Choose the formal subjunctive: She acts as if she ___ the boss.
Inverted conditional: ___ he to apologise, all would be forgiven. (= If he were to)
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