The (So-So) Subjunctive Mood Page:

When he was young, my son, Jason, used to have this wonderful "what if" game.

What if we won a zillion dollars?

What if Santa Clause came to hang out in our house?

What if I had three wishes?

Drove us crazy sometimes!

Here's the point: The subjunctive mood is a way of using verbs to play the "what if game."

If I were Superman I would quit school and make millions laundering money.

Jeremiah drove his family car as if it were a Formula One racer.

I truly wish that Quinlen give his share to me, or I will need to take his share forcefully.

That Fredericka pass English is her Father's deepest concern.

Notice that the first two sentences contain "if" clauses and the second two contain "that" clauses.

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Use the subjunctive from of the verb when the sentence is about a wish or fantasy:

. . .if I were Superman. . . instead of . . .if I was Superman. . .

. . .as if it were a . . . instead of: . . .as if it was a. . .

Sometimes the verb will be other than a"was/were" choice.  Sometimes you need other verbs.  To make a verb subjunctive, drop the "s" from the singular form:

. . .should Quinlan give his share. . .instead of . . .Quinlin gives his share.

 . . .if Fredericka pass. . .instead of . . .if Fredericka passes. . .

 

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Cool or what!?

Just by altering the verb a little, the whole sense of mystery, of what if, of dreams and hopes suddenly appear.

If you like science fiction/fantasy, be very grateful to the subjunctive mood!

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English uses two other "moods"--indicative and imperative.

"Indicative" means you are just saying what's happening:

Jerry is walking very slowly.

"Imperative" means that you demand something to happen:

Get your butt over here, Jerry, and I mean right now!

But these moods do not call for different verb forms, so you won't be getting into any Standard English hassles.

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There are some English idioms that have somehow lingered on to be not only cliche's, but also other places where you use the subjunctive mood:

Suffice it to say.

Be that as it may

Far be it from me

Heaven help us!

Long live the Republic (. . .our revolution, . . .our whatever)

Come what may

Generally speaking, while OK in Standard English, these idioms do tend to weaken rather than help your writing, because they are such cliche's.

I recommend avoiding them.

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Some Serious Subjunctive Silliness:

Make up a bunch of "what if" type sentences using the subjunctive mood in some "if clauses" and some "that clauses" in the space below.

Send them to me and I'll force my son to read them as a revenge for all the "what ifs" he hammered me with years ago.

There will probably not be any prizes.

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To return to Step Two, click here