Subjunctive

Subjunctive

The structure of the subjunctive is extremely simple. For all verbs except the past tense of be, the subjunctive is the same as the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to"):

be (past)	be (present)	all other verbs (past & present)
I were you were he, she, it were we were you were they were	I be you be he, she, it be we be you be they be	I work you work he, she, it work we work you work they work

The subjunctive does not change according to person (I, you, he, etc).

Use of the Subjunctive

We use subjunctives mainly when talking about events that are not certain to happen. For example, we use the subjunctive when talking about events that somebody:

·         wants to happen

·         anticipates will happen

·         imagines happening

For Examples:

·         The President requests that you be present at the meeting.

·         It is vital that you be present at the meeting.

·         If you were at the meeting, the President would be happy.

The subjunctive is typically used after two structures:

·         the verbs: ask, command, demand, insist, propose, recommend, request, suggest + that

·         the expressions: it is desirable, essential, important, necessary, vital + that

Here are some examples with the subjunctive:

·         The manager insists that the car park be locked at night.

·         The board of directors recommended that he join the company.

·         It is essential that we vote as soon as possible.

·         It was necessary that every student submit his essay by the weekend.

1.      PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVES

Present SUBJUNCTIVES is expectation in the present and in the future. The characteristics of the Present SUBJUNCTIVES is said acts in the form of "Bare Infinitive".

Examples:

·         May God bless you!

·         Have a good time!

·         Long live the President!

2.      PAST SUBJUNCTIVES

Past SUBJUNCTIVES is expectation that does not happen in the present. The characteristics of the Past tenses SUBJUNCTIVES is used in the form of "Past".

Word / phrase that is often used in the Past SUBJUNCTIVES are:

•  Wish
• If Only
• As if
• As though
• Would rather
• It's time

Wish

“Wish” refers to:

a. Indicates Future Time

Pattern: S + wish + would / could + Verb

Example:

• It's raining. She wishes it would stop. 
• I wish Fatimah could come.

b. Indicates Present Time 
Pattern: S + wish  ... + S + Past Verb 
Examples: 

• They wish I were there.
  (Mereka berharap saya ada di sana)
  Faktanya: Saya tidak ada di sana
• She wishes I would not come.
  (Dia berharap saya tidak akan datang)
  Faktanya: Saya akan datang

If Only

"If Only" means that we use here is "If".

Examples: 

• If only she were not here.
  (Seandainya dia tidak ada disini)
• If only they could speak English.
  (Seandainya mereka bisa berbicara bahasa Inggris)

Would Rather

It can be used to describe the "prefer", would rather can also be used on SUBJUNCTIVES, which means the same, "prefer".

Example: 

• I would rather you went now.
• They would rather I not call them.

As if / As though

As if and As though having the same function and meaning, which is "as if".

Example: 

•  Edi talks as if he knew everything.
• They act as though they were the real actors.

It's Time

It's time they mean by "now time". There are 2 patterns of It's Time, that are: 

·         It's time + to infinitives

·         It's time + Subject + Past Form

Examples: 

• It's time to get up.
• It's time to go to the movie.
• It's time you sent the letter.
• It's time I went to school.

3. PAST PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVES

Past Perfect SUBJUNCTIVES is an expression of expectation that does not happen in the past. The characteristic of the Past Perfect SUBJUNCTIVES is the verb in the Past Perfect form. 
Examples: 

• I wished they had invited me.
• You talked as if you had been there.
• They would rather I had called them.
• If only I had rejected him.

Informal Situation
Examples: 

• She talked as if she was there.
• I wish she is here.

We usually use the subjunctive were instead of "was" after if (and other words with similar meaning). Look at these sentences:

·         If I were you, I would ask her.

Suppose she were here. What would you say?

Why do we say "I were", "he were"?

We sometimes hear things like "if I were you, I would go" or "if he were here, he would tell you". Normally, the past tense of the verb "to be" is: I was, he was. But the if I were you structure doesn’t use the past simple tense of the verb "to be". It uses the past subjunctive of the verb "to be". In the following examples, you can see that we often use the subjunctive form were instead of "was" after:

·         If

·         as if

·         wish

·         suppose

Formal (The were form is correct at all times.)	Informal (The was form is possible in informal, familiar conversation.)
If I were younger, I would go.	If I was younger, I would go.
If he weren't so mean, he would buy one for me.	If he wasn't so mean, he would buy one for me.
I wish I weren't so slow!	I wish I wasn't so slow!
I wish it were longer.	I wish it was longer.
It's not as if I were ugly.	It's not as if I was ugly.
She acts as if she were Queen.	She acts as if she was Queen.
If I were you, I should tell her.	Note: We do not normally say "if I was you", even in familiar conversation.

Some fixed expressions use the subjunctive. Here are some examples:

·         Long live the King!

·         God bless America!

·         Heaven forbid!

·         Be that as it may, he still wants to see her.

·         Come what may, I will never forget you.

·         We are all citizens of the world, as it were.