Lecture 14 Subjunctive Mood虛擬語氣

1、Lecture Thirteen Subjunctive MoodI. Definitions and featuresMood in English is the verb form used to express the speaker s opinions on or attitudes to the action or state expressed by the Predicate Verb. English has three moods: the Indicative, the Imperative, and the Subjunctive. The Subjunctive Mo

2、od is the verb form used to express something subjective: personal will, suggestion, request, desire, etc. and improbability based on unreal conditions, and like the Tense and the Voice, it is realized by the different forms of the Predicate Verb in use. However, it has only the changes of form in a

3、spect and voice but none in person, number and tense.e.g. I suggest/suggested that he/they/you/wego there at once.Long live Chairman Mao / the people!Very often, the Subjunctive Equivalents (Modal Verbs + Notional Verbs are used to achieve the same purpose/effect.e.g. May the friendship between our

4、two countries live long!May there never be another world war!It is suggested that the plan should be carried out at once.II. Three FormsA. The Base Form: be, doB. The Indefinite Form: were/was, didC. The Perfective Form: had been/done, would/should/could/might + have been/doneIII. Uses of the Base F

5、ormA. Used in some sentences to express wishes or cursese.g. God bless you!Long live the People s Republic of China!Grammar be hanged!The devil take it!May you be blessed with all good luck! (Subjunctive EquivalentB. Used in the Object Clauses after the following verbs to express suggestion, command

6、, request, desire, etc.: suggest, propose, recommend, move, order, command, urge, require, request, ask, advise, desire, demand, decide, insist, maintain, prefer, etc.e.g. They suggest/suggested that George (should be made the group leader.He demands/demanded that she keep her own words.I insisted t

7、hat the meeting be adjourned for a week.* 1 When such Predicate Verbs as listed above are converted into the Passive voice, the same Subjunctive is used in the resultant Subject Clauses.e.g. It is suggested that George (should be made the group leader.It is demanded that she keep her own words.It is

8、 insisted that the meeting be adjourned for a week.2 The same Subjunctive is also used in the Noun Clauses (predicative or appositive after the nouns converted or derived from the verbs listed above. e.g. Our decision is that we give up the project.Your suggestion is that Tom take your place.My desi

9、re is that the instrument be tested again before it is used. I made the suggestion that George (should be made the group leader. The general issued the order that his troops (should retreat immediately.C. Used in the Subject Clauses after the adjectives: urgent, essential, necessary, crucial, critic

10、al, imperative, strange, natural, surprising, obligatory, advisable, desirable, preferable, etc.e.g. It is/was advisable that he (should give up trying.It is/was necessary that this machine be oiled every day.It was very strange that she (should come so late.D. Used in some Adverbial Clausese.g. He

11、told his wife as little as possible lest/ for fear that she (should spread the news all over the town. (ad. of resultHome is home, be it ever so homely. (ad. of concessionI ll work all night if need be. (ad. of conditionBe he rich or poor, I will marry him. (ad. of concessionIV. Uses of the Indefini

12、te FormA. Used to express personal (subjective wishes that run counter to the present factse.g. I wish I were you.I d rather it were summer now.I d just soon you stayed here.If only he didn t drive so fast.B. Used in the that-clause after the structure It s (about/high time to express subjective wis

13、hes or requestse.g. It s time (that the city was cleaned up.It s about time we made our decisions.Tom, it s high time you went to bed.C. Used in the Adverbial Clause of Manner introduced by as if/though, suggesting something contrary to the present facte.g. He acts as if he were an expert.She talks

14、as though she knew everything about it.E. Used in the Adverbial Clause of Condition presenting a condition contrary to the present fact or an improbability in the futuree.g. If I were you, I would tell him the truth.Suppose he were here, what would he say?Were I you (If I were you, I would not let h

15、er go.If it were to rain tomorrow, the match would be postponed.V. Uses of the Perfective FormA. Used to express personal (subjective wishes that run counter to the past factse.g. I wish Ihad been there yesterday.I rather he had attended the English class last week.I d just as soon you hadnt missed

16、the golden chance.If only you had done what we were told, this would never have happened. B. Used in the Adverbial Clause of Manner introduced by as if/though, suggesting something contrary to the past facte.g. She talks as if he had seen the accident when it happened.Lynda went on as though Charley

17、 had said nothing.B. Used in the Adverbial Clause of Condition presenting a condition contrary to the past facte.g. If she had had time yesterday, she would have called you.Had we had enough money, we would have bought the house.Suppose he had not come yesterday , who would have done the job?VI. Spe

18、cial points for attentionA. Different Subjunctive forms may be used respectively in the main Clause and the Adverbial Clause to express different time conceptse.g. If you had worked harder and earned more money when (you wereyoung, you would be better off now.Had it not been for the timely investmen

19、t from the general public, our company would notbe so thriving as it is now.B. A Subjunctive if-clause may be replaced by an inverted clause without theConjunction “ if ”e.g. Had it not been (If it had not been for the timely investment from the general public, our company would notbe so thriving as

20、 it is now. Had we had (If we had had enough money, we would have bought the house. There is a real possibility that these animals could be frightened, should there be (if there be/werea sudden loud noise.C. A Subjunctive if-clause may be replaced by a prepositional phrase introduced by but for, wit

21、hout, with, or undere.g. But for the English examination, I would have gone to the concert last Saturday.But for his support, I couldn t have succeeded.Without the friction between feet and the ground, people would in no way be able to walk.How could I finish the task without your help?D. The Subjunctive con