the subjunctive So, i've learned about new thing today. about Subjunctive and honestly this is my first time hearing this term . So, what've learned so far about subjunctive is that it's being used t

Wan Amiera

the subjunctive So, i've learned about new thing today. about Subjunctive and honestly this is my first time hearing this term . So, what've learned so far about subjunctive is that it's being used to advice,suggesting,ask and emphasing ...Are that true ? I'm not clear about this part actually..About their function And if we're talking about subjunctive, i can spot the word 'THAT'. My teacher said before that the word 'THAT' is actually optional and can drop anytime.Is that true? So i found a weird sentence that caught my eyes while reading my book, so i need to ask ur opinion regarding this matter ASAP ! ;) the sentence: 'Bill Clinton is legendary for his ability to make you feel THAT you have his total attention ,THAT you are the most important person in his universe and THAT he is hearing and understanding exactly what you are saying in ....' side note: We can see the excess usage of the word 'THAT'(3times) in one sentences ( repeatitive ) , is that correct? or if I only use that for one time?

Jul 22, 2014 7:48 PM

Answers · 6

That would be true of other languages that use the 'subjunctive mood" but not in English because it is no longer used except for the verb "to be" If I were you............................................................................ If(clause)+personal pronoun+were

July 22, 2014

The subjunctive (past and present) is used quite often in modern English! :) The tiny problem is that it's often difficult to see, so some people assume (wrongly) that it doesn't exist. Basically, it follows certain verbs and yes, the present subjunctive clause usually starts with "that". You'll see present subjunctive if the subject is he, she or it ("I demand that she apologise!") or if the verb is "to be" ("My only request is that you be here on time."). The verb, which usually changes, stays in the base form and doesn't change. If you changed the verb (she apologises/you are here), that would mean the action is real. In situations that need subjunctive form, a "real" action is illogical. In your example about Bill Clinton, none of it is subjunctive. I think the main difficulty here is your understanding of how to use "that". Anyway, here's a nice little tutorial, with exercises, on present subjunctive: http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/subjunctive.html

July 22, 2014

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