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Mood in verbs refers to one of three attitudes that a writer or speaker has to what is being written or spoken. The indicative mood, which describes most sentences on this page, is used to make a statement or ask a question. The imperative mood is used when we're feeling sort of bossish and want to give a directive, strong suggestion, or order:
- Get your homework done before you watch television tonight.
- Please include cash payment with your order form.
- Get out of town!
The subjunctive mood is used in dependent clauses that do the following: 1) express a wish; 2) begin with if and express a condition that does not exist (is contrary to fact); 3) begin with as if and as though when such clauses describe a speculation or condition contrary to fact; and 4) begin with that and express a demand, requirement, request, or suggestion. A new section on the uses of the Conditional should help you understand the subjunctive.
- She wishes her boyfriend were here.
- If Juan were more aggressive, he'd be a better hockey player.
- We would have passed if we had studied harder.
- He acted as if he were guilty.
- I requested that he be present at the hearing.
The New York Public Library's Writer's Guide to Style and Usage has this important note on the subjunctive: "The words if, as if, or as though do not always signal the subjunctive mood. If the information in such a clause points out a condition that is or was probable or likely, the verb should be in the indicative mood. The indicative tells the reader that the information in the dependent clause could possibly be true" (155). Cited with permission.
The present tense of the subjunctive uses only the base form of the verb.
- He demanded that his students use two-inch margins.
- She suggested that we be on time tomorrow.
- If I were seven feet tall, I'd be a great basketball player.
- He wishes he were a better student.
- If you were rich, we wouldn't be in this mess.
- If they were faster, we could have won that race.
Source: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/verbs.htm