The Subjunctive

Finite verbs have mood
• indicative /tryb oznajmujący/
• imperative / tryb rozkazujący/
• subjunctive /tryb łączący/

Subjunctive mood
• concord
- the agreement of the verb with the subject
- the agreement of time and tense used.
• It is used when we talk about

hypothetical, not real, untrue actions, facts or wishes.
• There is a lack of concord between the subject and the

finite verb.
• The tense doesn’t reflect the real time (unreal past) and
the form of the verb does not correspond grammatically to
the person.
II conditional
If I were rich, I wouldn’t have to work.
III conditional
If my computer hadn’t broken down yesterday, I would have finished my essay.
wish/ if only
as if/ as though
I’d rather/ I’d sooner
had better
It’s (high) time

wish
• to express hypothetical desire or regret
wish corresponds to It’s a pity, I regret
• present  past
It’s a pity my husband works so far from here.
If only/ I wish my husband didn’t work so far from here.
It’s a pity I don’t have a new motorbike.
I wish I had a new motorbike.

wish: present  past
1. It's a pity I don't have enough time to practise sports.
I wish…………….
2. He is sorry that he doesn't earn much money.

He wishes ………….
3. She would like to be as beautiful as the model is.
4. I am sorry I am not a politician.
5. They say it's a pity they don't live in an exotic country.
6. It's a pity we cannot speak to the President.
7. We would like our son to behave more politely.

wish
• past  past perfect
I regret I didn’t take you advice.
I wish I had taken your advice.
I regret buying another pair of shoes.
I wish I hadn’t bought another pair of shoes.

wish: past  past perfect
1. It's a pity we didn't invite our parents to the ceremony.
We wish …..
2. Tom regrets lying to his wife.
3. I should have studied the document carefully before signing it.
4. You shouldn't have wasted your savings in the casino.
5. It's a pity I have quarrelled with my best friend.
6. Stella regrets having given up the self-defence course.
7. Mr and Mrs Tandy shouldn't have rejected our offer.

wish
• used for a future change when we know that
the change is impossible, unlikely to happen
• for a polite imperative
future  future in the past

I wish you would stop smoking.
(chciałabym, abyś przestał palić)
an alternative sentence:
I would like you to stop smoking.
I wish you would pay more attention!

Do not use would
• when it is followed by a state verb.
I wish she could be here tomorrow.
• when the subject pronouns are: I or we

– use could
I wish I/ we could fly.

If only I = I wish I
when it refers to present or past
NB:
to wish = to want
I wish to speak to your father.
We wished her good luck.

We wished him to win.
(to express greetings)
http://le-aprendeingles.blogspot.com/2015/12/if-only-i-had-always.html
If only
1. It's a pity David lives so far away from us.
If only David ……
2. We're sorry we aren't students any more.
3. What a pity you don't know how to operate the computer.
4. I am sorry I am too busy to spend the evening with my girlfriend.
5. I am sorry Phil has sold all these old records.
6. It's a pity we didn't consult the matter with our solicitor.
7. I definitely regret not having proposed to Linda.
8. My parents sent me to school abroad, which was a mistake.

as if/ as though
She looks as if she is tired.
Peter looks as if he is hungry.
I can’t stand it. She treats me as if she were my

mother. = she is not
My sister looked at me as if she was angry with me.

= perhaps she was
My sister looked as if she hadn’t eaten for a year =

unreal
would rather
https://50nerdsofgrey.com/artist-draws-cartoons-that-pokes-fun-at-literature-classics-30-pics/
I would rather/ I would sooner
• to express preferences
• if it refers to present or future time
I’d rather do. I’d rather not do.

I’d rather stay at home and watch TV.
Wouldn’t you rather go for a walk than stay at home?
I’d rather not buy this old car.
She’d rather do. She’d rather not do.
I’d rather she did. I’d rather she didn’t do.

I’d rather you helped me today.
Would you rather we did it instead of you?
1. What a pity she lives so far away from us.
We’d rather she …………………………………
2. It’s a pity you don’t have your own dictionary.

I would rather you …………………..
3. We wouldn’t like them to tell the story to

everybody. We’d rather …….
4. Don’t drink too much carbonated water!

I’d rather …………………..
I would rather/ I would sooner
• if it refers to past
I’d rather have done. (perfect infinitive)

I’d sooner have told him the truth. (It’s a pity I didn’t)
I’d rather not have done.
I’d rather not have bought that old car.
I’d rather she had done.

I’d rather she hadn’t done.
I’d rather Sam hadn’t taken his father’s car yesterday.
would rather + perfect infinitive
1. We wanted to go on holiday abroad but it was
impossible.
We would rather……
2. Sue would like to have made the appointment before

Saturday.
3. I wish I had settled in Canada.
4. Andrew wanted to be employed in the Public Relations

but there was no vacancy for him.
5. We have travelled by train but we wish we had taken a

plane.
would rather
/1 subject\
present/ future past
I’d rather do. I’d rather not do. I’d rather have done.
I’d rather not have done
(perfect infinitive)
She’d rather not do. She’d rather not have done
She’d rather do. She’d rather have done.
would rather
/2 subjects\
present/ future past
I’d rather I’d rather I’d rather I’d rather

she did. she didn’t do. she had done. she hadn’t done.
prefer
prefer sth to sth (general preferences)
specific situations (preferences) (present or future)
would prefer + (object) + full infinitive
rather than + bare infinitive
We’d prefer to spend this holiday in the mountains
rather than stay at home.
I’d prefer to walk rather than take the bus.
We’d prefer our children to spend the evening with us.
I’d prefer you not to tell anybody about it.

a specific situation (past)
• We’d prefer to have done (full perfect infinitive)
The teacher would prefer his students not to have made so many
mistakes.
My parents would prefer me to have chosen a different university.
• would like + full perfect infinitive (to have done) – an unfulfilled

wish
We would like to have gone to the country but the weather prevented
it.
I would like her to have helped me but she didn’t come.
I would like to have gone = I would have liked to go

would prefer to do (full infinitive)
1. He says he doesn't want to dance.
He would prefer……
2. I'd rather drink something cold.
3. She doesn't want to write the report by herself.
4. We would rather live in a youth hostel.

would prefer to have done (perfect infinitive)
1. I wanted to become a pilot but I became a sailor.
2. They worked in a greenhouse but they wish they had

worked in an orchard.
3. Steve wishes he had emigrated to America, not Australia.
4. We asked for three meals a day, but we got two instead.
5. Mr Cohen studied mathematics but he wishes he had

studied economics.
had better
• to give advice
• to warn
• it refers to
• present and future only
• You’d better tell me the truth if you don’t want to be

punished.
• You’d better not wait here.
should/ ought to/ had better/ must

• Had I better report this to the Tax Office? = Do
you advise me to …? Is it advisable…? –
czy będzie lepiej jeśli...
• If you want to refer to a past situation, the

structure will contain elements of criticism
and the full conditional should be used.
It would have been better if you had consulted your lawyer.
It’s (high) time
• It’s time you started learning for the examination.
• It’s time she went home.
• It’s time to start learning for the examination.

• It’s time for her to go home.
• Past tense: it’s a little late

• Full infinitive: the correct time has come
• Do not use negative after it’s time!

Formulaic subjunctive
• Oby, niech: May the best win.
May you be lucky. May God forgive you.
• Come what may. (niech się dzieje co chce)
• God save the queen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN9EC3Gy6Nk
• Be that as it may (mniejsza o to)

The putative should
• Expressions of recommendation, demand, advice verbs
like suggest, demand, recommend
are followed by a verb phrase with should in a that-
clause (putative should)
I insist that somebody should help her.

I recommend that the factory should be closed.
• The putative should may be dropped and

the infinitive left alone becomes a subjunctive
I insist/ demand/ advise/ suggest/ recommend ..... that

the meeting be held.

The Subjunctive

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The Subjunctive

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Finite verbs have mood

• indicative /tryb oznajmujący/

• imperative / tryb rozkazujący/

• subjunctive /tryb łączący/

• It is used when we talk about

• There is a lack of concord between the subject and the

I’d rather/ I’d sooner

It’s (high) time

It’s a pity my husband works so far from here.

If only/ I wish my husband didn’t work so far from here.

It’s a pity I don’t have a new motorbike.

I wish I had a new motorbike.

2. He is sorry that he doesn't earn much money.

3. She would like to be as beautiful as the model is.

4. I am sorry I am not a politician.

5. They say it's a pity they don't live in an exotic country.

6. It's a pity we cannot speak to the President.

7. We would like our son to behave more politely.

I regret I didn’t take you advice.

I wish I had taken your advice.

I regret buying another pair of shoes.

I wish I hadn’t bought another pair of shoes.

2. Tom regrets lying to his wife.

3. I should have studied the document carefully before signing it.

4. You shouldn't have wasted your savings in the casino.

5. It's a pity I have quarrelled with my best friend.

6. Stella regrets having given up the self-defence course.

7. Mr and Mrs Tandy shouldn't have rejected our offer.

future  future in the past

I wish you would pay more attention!

• when it is followed by a state verb.

I wish she could be here tomorrow.

• when the subject pronouns are: I or we

I wish I/ we could fly.

We wished her good luck.

2. We're sorry we aren't students any more.

3. What a pity you don't know how to operate the computer.

4. I am sorry I am too busy to spend the evening with my girlfriend.

5. I am sorry Phil has sold all these old records.

6. It's a pity we didn't consult the matter with our solicitor.

7. I definitely regret not having proposed to Linda.

8. My parents sent me to school abroad, which was a mistake.

I can’t stand it. She treats me as if she were my

My sister looked at me as if she was angry with me.

My sister looked as if she hadn’t eaten for a year =

I’d rather do. I’d rather not do.

I’d rather she did. I’d rather she didn’t do.

2. It’s a pity you don’t have your own dictionary.

3. We wouldn’t like them to tell the story to

4. Don’t drink too much carbonated water!

I’d rather have done. (perfect infinitive)

I’d rather she had done.

2. Sue would like to have made the appointment before

3. I wish I had settled in Canada.

4. Andrew wanted to be employed in the Public Relations

5. We have travelled by train but we wish we had taken a

present/ future past

present/ future past