Subjunctive & formal remnants
C1 50 / 50
In short
Modern English has almost no subjunctive left, but two useful pieces remain: the mandative subjunctive - the bare base verb after words of demand or importance (I insist that he be on time) - and the were-subjunctive in unreal sentences (If I were you). Beyond these, a handful of fixed phrases (so be it, come what may) are just memorised formulas.
The rule
1. The mandative subjunctive = the base form. After a verb, adjective, or noun that demands, suggests, or stresses importance, the that-clause uses the base form of the verb for every subject. That means no -s in the third person and be instead of is/are/am:
- I suggest that he be on time. (not is)
- It is essential that she arrive early. (not arrives)
- They demanded that he leave. (not left / leaves)
The base form does not change with the tense of the main clause - it stays the same even when the report is about the past:
- They insisted that the door remain open.
Negatives simply put not before the base verb - with no do/does/did:
- We ask that visitors not touch the exhibits. (not do not touch)
The passive uses be + past participle: It is vital that the form be signed today.
This structure is more common in formal and American English. In British English, should + base verb is often preferred and feels less formal:
- I suggest that he should be on time. (BrE) = …that he be on time. (formal / AmE)
Careful: suggest and recommend have two meanings. The mandative idea (“you ought to do it”) takes the base form: I recommend that she see a doctor. A simple statement of fact (“this is what happens”) does not: The data suggests that she is improving.
2. The were-subjunctive uses were for all persons in unreal/hypothetical situations - in conditions, wishes, and after as if / as though and suppose:
- If I were you, I’d accept. / I wish it were over. / He talks as if he were a child.
Only the verb be still has this special form; was is common in everyday speech, but were is the safe, formal choice (see lesson 35).
3. Frozen formulas. A few set phrases preserve an old subjunctive and are simply learned whole - don’t try to build new sentences on the pattern. Only one still lets you choose the subject and verb: the wish long may + subject + base verb (Long may it continue.), where may stands in front of the subject; the older wording puts the base verb itself in front of the subject (long live …). See the table below.
Forms & patterns
Trigger words for the mandative subjunctive (all followed by that + base form):
| Verbs | Adjectives (It is … that) | Nouns |
|---|---|---|
| suggest, recommend, propose | essential, vital, crucial | a suggestion that… |
| insist, demand, request, require | important, necessary | a demand / request that… |
| ask, urge, advise, order | imperative, advisable | a recommendation that… |
| Subject | Ordinary present | Mandative subjunctive |
|---|---|---|
| he / she / it | he arrives | (that) he arrive |
| any subject + be | she is here | (that) she be here |
| negative | he does not go | (that) he not go |
| passive | it is sent | (that) it be sent |
Fixed subjunctive expressions (recognition only):
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| be that as it may | even if that is true; in any case |
| so be it | I accept it (reluctantly); let it be so |
| come what may | whatever happens |
| if need be | if it is necessary |
| far be it from me (to…) | I would never presume (to…) |
| suffice it to say (that) | I’ll only say this much |
| long may it continue / long may that last | a wish that something goes on |
Examples
| English | Note |
|---|---|
| The board recommends that the policy be reviewed annually. | Passive subjunctive: be + past participle, no -s. |
| It is essential that every passenger wear a seatbelt. | Base form after essential that; not wears. |
| The judge ordered that he pay a fine. | Base form even though the main verb is past. |
| We request that you not park in front of the gate. | Negative subjunctive: not + base, no do. |
| I’d suggest he should apply early. | British-style should + base - same meaning, less formal. |
| If she were in charge, things would run better. | were-subjunctive in an unreal condition. |
| Be that as it may, the deadline hasn’t changed. | Frozen formula = “even so”. |
| Suffice it to say the meeting did not go well. | Set phrase introducing an understatement. |
Common mistakes
- I suggest that he is on time. -> I suggest that he be on time. - the mandative subjunctive uses be, not is.
- It is vital that she arrives early. -> It is vital that she arrive early. - no third-person -s in the subjunctive.
- They demanded that he doesn’t leave. -> They demanded that he not leave. - negate with bare not, no do/does.
- If I was rich, I’d help. -> If I were rich, I’d help. - use were in careful, hypothetical English (lesson 35).
- He insisted that she left. (meaning: he ordered her to leave) -> He insisted that she leave. - a past form would mean “he claimed she had left,” a different sense.
Tips
- Easiest memory hook: after demand / suggest / essential / important, use the same form you’d use after to: to be, to arrive, to pay -> drop to and you have be, arrive, pay.
- Worried it sounds odd? In British English you can almost always swap in should + base verb (…that he should arrive). It’s safe and natural.
- For unreal situations, just remember the one fixed phrase If I were you - it carries the were-subjunctive everywhere else too.
- Treat come what may, so be it, be that as it may as single vocabulary items - learn them whole, don’t analyse them.