- •Foreword
- •Contents
- •Morphology the noun
- •The Category of Number
- •Invariable Nouns
- •The Genitive Case
- •Types of the Genitive Case
- •The article
- •Functions of the Article
- •The Use of Articles with Abstract Nouns
- •The Use of Articles with Material Nouns
- •The Use of Articles with Predicative Nouns and Nouns in Apposition
- •The Use of Articles in Some Set Expressions Nouns in set expressions used with the indefinite article
- •Nouns in set expressions used with the definite article
- •Nouns in set expressions used without an article
- •The Use of Articles with Some Semantic Groups of Nouns Articles with Names of Seasons and Parts of the Day
- •Articles with Names of Meals
- •Articles with the Nouns school, college, prison, jail, church, hospital
- •Articles with Names of Parts of the Body
- •Articles with Names of Specific Periods
- •The Use of Articles with Proper Names
- •Names of Persons
- •Geographical Names
- •Calendar Items
- •Miscellaneous Proper Names
- •The adjective
- •Morphological Composition
- •Semantic Characteristics
- •Descriptive adjective Limiting adjective
- •The Position of Adjectives
- •Degrees of Comparison
- •Patterns of Comparison
- •Intensifiers of Adjectives
- •Substantivized Adjectives
- •Adjectives and Adverbs
- •Oblique moods
- •Temporal Relations within the Oblique Moods
- •Subjunctive II
- •A. Simple Sentence
- •B. Complex Sentence
- •The Conditional Mood
- •The Suppositional Mood and Subjunctive I
- •Syntax the sentence
- •Sentence
- •The Simple Sentence. Structural Types
- •Communicative Types of Sentences
- •Interrogative sentences
- •Imperative sentences
- •The subject
- •Ways of expressing the Subject
- •Structural Types of the Subject
- •“It” and “there” as Subjects notional “it”
- •Formal subjects ‘’it” and “there”
- •The predicate
- •Agreement of the predicate with the subject Grammatical Agreement
- •Pronouns as Subjects
- •Agreement with Homogeneous Subjects
- •Notional Agreement
- •The object
- •Types of Objects
- •Structure and Ways of Expressing
- •Predicative Constructions that Function as Objects
- •The attribute
- •The apposition
- •The adverbial modifier
- •Structural Types of the Adverbial Modifier
- •Semantic Characteristics of the Adverbial Modifier
- •Absolute nominative constructions
- •Non-prepositional Absolute Constructions
- •The composite sentence
- •The Compound Sentence
- •The Complex Sentence
- •Nominal Clauses
- •Attributive Clauses
- •Adverbial Clauses
- •2. Adverbial clauses of place
- •Glossary of Linguistic Terms
- •List of Books
Subjunctive II
Form: Subjunctive II has two basic forms: non-perfect Subjunctive II is synthetical and is homonymous with the Past Indicative: spoke, went, built, wrote, did, etc. The only exception is the verb to be, whose Subjunctive II from is were for all persons: I/she/he/ it were (was is also possible with I/he/she/it and is more common in conversational English). Perfect Subjunctive II is homonymous with the Past Perfect Indicative for all verbs: had done, had gone, had written, etc.
Meaning: Subjunctive II represents an action as contrary to reality:
I always wish I were like you (as a matter of fact, I am not like you).
Use: Subjunctive II is used in simple sentences and in certain subordinate clauses of a complex sentence.
A. Simple Sentence
1. Subjunctive II is used in exclamatory sentences beginning with “Oh, that …”, “If only …”:
Oh, that the storm were over! (present)
If only Rowley had come! (past)
Such sentences express wish or regret.
2. Subjunctive II is found in simple sentences with modal verbs. In the sentences referring to the present or future the modal verb in Subjunctive II is followed by a non-perfect infinitive, in the sentences referring to the past – by a perfect one:
Could you come again tomorrow?
You might have opened the door for me.
3. Subjunctive II is also found in simple sentences containing the modal phraseological expressions had better, would rather, would sooner. Such sentences express preference of advice:
I would rather know the painful truth than imagine it (preference).
You’d better keep out of sight until it’s all over (advice).
B. Complex Sentence
Subjunctive II is used in nominal and adverbial clauses.
Nominal Clauses
1. In predicative clauses introduces by the conjunctions as if, as though. The predicative clauses with Subjunctive II immediately follow the link verbs be, seem, look, feel, sound:
It was as if she were trying to tell him something (simultaneous action).
I feel as though I had never been away (prior action).
2. In object clauses after the verb “to wish”:
I wish we were both about ten years older than we are (simultaneous action).
I wish I hadn’t come (prior action).
Sentences with wish-clauses express regret. When rendering them into Russian it is possible to use a clause with the opposite meaning, introduced by жаль, как жаль, какая жалость or by the finite form of the verb “сожалеть”.
With reference to the future, after the verb to wish a combination of the modal verb would in Subjunctive II and the Infinitive is often used in the sense of insistence, habit or willingness:
I wish you wouldn’t sing in the bath.
I wish you would shut up!
Would + Infinitive is possible only when the subject of the subordinate clause and that of the principal clause do not denote the same thing or person. Would” + Infinitive shows that the fulfillment of the wish depends on the will of the person denoted by the subject of the subordinate clause:
I wish you would treat me better.
If the fulfilment of the wish depends more on the circumstances, may (might) or could + Infinitive is preferable:
I wish I could help you.
I only wish I might be with you.
3. In attributive clauses after the expressions It is time. It is high time. It is about time:
It is time I made up my mind.
In attributive clauses only non-perfect Subjunctive II is used.
Adverbial Clauses
Subjunctive II is used:
1. In adverbial clauses of comparison or manner introduced by the conjunctions as if, as though:
His voice broke as if he were going to cry (simultaneous action).
He speaks if he had never seen me before (prior action).
2. In adverbial clauses of unreal condition or concession (after the conjunction even if, even though). The principal clause contains a form of the Conditional Mood:
I shouldn’t take this line if I were you (present action).
Even if they had wanted me to stay I would have refused (past action).
Clauses of unreal condition may be introduced asyndetically (without any conjunctions). In this case inversion serves as a means of subordination:
Had Mr Robbins been other than a distinguished visitor, he would have answered sharply.
Had they wanted me to stay I would have refused.
Such sentences are characteristic of literary style.