In brief
- Present subjunctive: invariable verb base for all persons. No -s at the 3rd person singular. To be remains be everywhere.
- Past subjunctive: form of the preterite, except to be which always becomes were, regardless of person.
- Three main uses: fixed expressions (God save the King), requests and suggestions (I insist that he leave), wishes and hypotheses (If I were you…).
- US vs UK: the subjunctive is common in American English. In British English, should often replaces it.
- Alternatives: modals (should, would, might) frequently replace the subjunctive in a less formal register.
The subjunctive exists in English, but it is far less visible than in French. Its form often blends with the simple present or preterite, which means English speakers use it without being aware of it. For a French speaker, identifying it and producing it correctly requires understanding in which contexts it appears and how it differs from ordinary indicative forms.
What is the subjunctive in English?
The subjunctive is a grammatical mood that expresses an action envisaged, desired, ordered or hypothetical, as opposed to the indicative which describes real facts. In English, it manifests itself in three major situations: fixed expressions inherited from ancient usage, requests and suggestions in a formal register, and wishes or hypotheses introduced by if, wish, as if.
Its visibility is limited because its form almost always coincides with that of the simple present. The only place where it is clearly visible in writing is at the 3rd person singular: where the indicative adds an -s (he goes, she works), the subjunctive keeps the bare verb base (he go, she work). And for to be, whose conjugation is highly irregular, the difference is even more striking: the present subjunctive gives be for all persons.
The present subjunctive: formation
The rule is simple: the verb base (the infinitive without to) is used for all persons without exception. No endings, no variation.
| Person | Present indicative | Present subjunctive |
|---|---|---|
| I | I work | I work (identical) |
| You | you work | you work (identical) |
| He / She / It | he works | he work (no -s) |
| We | we work | we work (identical) |
| They | they work | they work (identical) |
For to be, the difference is visible at all persons since this verb has a highly irregular conjugation in the indicative.
| Person | Present indicative | Present subjunctive |
|---|---|---|
| I | I am | I be |
| He / She | she is | she be |
| We / They | they are | they be |
Negation in the present subjunctive
To form negation in the present subjunctive, not is placed directly before the verb base, without the auxiliary do.
We recommend that she not submit the report before Monday. : We recommend that she not submit the report before Monday.
They insisted that no one be excluded. : They insisted that no one be excluded.
It is essential that he doesn’t arrive late. ✗ (indicative, not subjunctive)
It is essential that he not arrive late. ✓ (subjunctive, formal register)
The form with doesn’t is common in speech and in an informal register, but the subjunctive form with not alone is the standard in careful writing.
The past subjunctive: formation
The past subjunctive uses the preterite form of the verb. For all verbs except to be, this produces no visible difference with the preterite of the indicative. It is only with to be that the distinction appears: the past subjunctive requires were for all persons, where the indicative uses was for I / he / she / it.
| Person | Past indicative (to be) | Past subjunctive (to be) |
|---|---|---|
| I | I was | I were |
| He / She / It | he was | he were |
| We / You / They | they were | they were (identical) |
In contemporary spoken English, if I was is increasingly heard instead of if I were. This form is accepted in an informal register, but if I were remains the standard in careful writing and formal contexts.
The three types of subjunctive
1. The formulaic subjunctive (formulaic subjunctive)
Certain English expressions are survivals of an old subjunctive, fixed in the language. They are no longer conjugated and are learned as formulas. They are found in solemn, religious or formal contexts.
Long live the Queen! : Long live the Queen!
So be it. : So be it.
Be that as it may. : Be that as it may.
Suffice it to say that… : Suffice it to say that…
Thy will be done. : Thy will be done.
In God save the King, save is in the subjunctive: it is not an assertion (God saves the King with -s) but a wish or a prayer. It is the most cited example because it clearly exposes the difference with the indicative.
2. The subjunctive of request and suggestion (mandative subjunctive)
This is the most productive and most useful usage. It appears in a subordinate clause introduced by that, dependent on a verb or adjective expressing a request, recommendation, suggestion or necessity.
The structure is: triggering verb + that + subject + verb base.
The judge ordered that he remain silent. : The judge ordered that he remain silent.
We suggest that the meeting take place on Monday. : We suggest that the meeting take place on Monday.
It is vital that every passenger have a valid ticket. : It is vital that every passenger have a valid ticket.
The doctor insists that he rest for at least a week. : The doctor insists that he rest for at least a week.
Triggering verbs
| Category | Verbs |
|---|---|
| Request / order | ask, demand, order, command, require, request |
| Recommendation | recommend, suggest, advise, propose, urge |
| Insistence | insist, stipulate |
| Formal wish | prefer, desire, intend |
Triggering adjectives
| Adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| essential | It is essential that he be informed. |
| vital | It is vital that the data remain confidential. |
| important | It is important that she attend the meeting. |
| necessary | It is necessary that all forms be signed. |
| crucial | It is crucial that he arrive on time. |
| imperative | It is imperative that this not happen again. |
US vs UK: subjunctive or should?
In American English, the subjunctive is the standard in these constructions. In British English, it is more common to use should + verb base instead. Both are correct. The choice depends on the register and variety of English.
| Subjunctive (especially US, formal) | Should + verb base (especially UK) |
|---|---|
| I insist that he be present. | I insist that he should be present. |
| We recommend that she take the course. | We recommend that she should take the course. |
| It is essential that the report be submitted. | It is essential that the report should be submitted. |
To deepen your understanding of the uses of should and other modals, see the guide on English modals.
3. The subjunctive of wish and hypothesis (volitional subjunctive)
The past subjunctive is used to express a wish, an unreal hypothesis or a fictional situation. This is the most common usage in speech, even though most speakers do not know it is the subjunctive.
After if in type 2 conditionals
The past subjunctive in the conditional subordinate indicates that the situation is unreal or very unlikely. Were is used for all persons with to be.
If she were here, she would know what to do. : If she were here, she would know what to do.
If he spoke better English, he could get the job. : If he spoke better English, he could get the job.
What would you do if you had more time? : What would you do if you had more time?
After wish
Wish introduces a wish about a reality one would like to be different. With a present subjunctive (preterite form), the wish concerns the present or future. With a past subjunctive (past perfect form), it expresses regret about the past.
I wish she lived closer. : I wish she lived closer.
He wishes he could speak French. : He wishes he could speak French.
I wish I had studied harder. : I wish I had studied harder. (regret about the past)
She wishes she hadn’t said that. : She wishes she hadn’t said that.
After as if, as though, suppose, imagine, if only
She looks as though she knew something. : She looks as though she knew something.
If only I were on holiday right now. : If only I were on holiday right now.
Suppose she were wrong. What would we do? : Suppose she were wrong. What would we do?
Imagine you had unlimited time. What would you build? : Imagine you had unlimited time. What would you build?
Present subjunctive vs indicative: an important nuance
With certain verbs like insist, the choice between subjunctive and indicative changes the meaning of the sentence. This is a point that many learners overlook and yet is useful for understanding English texts.
| Subjunctive (request concerning the future) | Indicative (assertion concerning the present) |
|---|---|
| She insisted that he be present. She insisted that he be present (at a future moment). |
She insisted that he was present. She insisted that he was present (assertion about a real fact). |
Simple present as an alternative to subjunctive
In an informal register, the simple present indicative often replaces the subjunctive, particularly in British English. Both sentences are understood, but the register changes.
Common (indicative): It is important that everyone attends.
Formal (subjunctive): I suggest that he apply immediately.
Common (indicative): I suggest that he applies immediately.
To understand the conjugation of the simple present in detail, see the guide on simple present in English.
Practical exercise
Test your knowledge of English subjunctive:
Question 1. Which form is correct in the present subjunctive at the 3rd person singular?
Question 2. Which form of the verb to be is correct in the present subjunctive after it is essential that?
Question 3. Which sentence illustrates a formulaic subjunctive?
Question 4. What is the difference between she insisted that he be present and she insisted that he was present?
Question 5. Which form is correct in a type 2 conditional with to be?
Question 6. How to express regret about the past with wish?
Question 7. What is the British alternative to the subjunctive in: I recommend that he attend the seminar?
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