The Conditional Mood

Form: the Conditional Mood is an analytical form built up by means of the auxiliary verb should (for the 1^st person) of would (for all persons) and the Infinitive. The non-perfect Conditional Mood employs the indefinite or continuous Infinitive: should do, would be going; the perfect Conditional Mood is formed with the help of the perfect or perfect continuous Infinitive: should have done, would have been reading.

In Modern English for the first person should and would are both possible with no real difference in meaning:

I should (would) never have thought you read anything but the sporting news.

Meaning: The Conditional Mood, like Subjunctive II, represents an action as contradicting reality. The different between the two moods is in their form and in their usage.

Use: A. The Conditional Mood is used to denote unreal actions in simple sentences:

1. with an adverbial modifier of condition expressed by a but for - phrase:

He would not have come, but for me.

2. with implied condition:

I wouldn’t waste my time on rubbish in your place (condition is implied in the phase in your place = If I were in your place).

3. to sound polite, less straightforward. Here the Conditional Mood differs from the Indicative only stylistically:

I should very much object to you reading trashy novels (= I very much object).

B. The Conditional Mood is used in the principal clauses of complex sentences with the subordinate clauses of unreal condition or unreal concession (where Subjunctive II is used). The choice of actual forms depends on the time-reference of the actions:

1. If the unreal actions in both the principal and the subordinate clause relate to the present or future, the non-perfect forms of respectively the Conditional Mood and Subjunctive II are used:

I should never forgive myself if I profited by his generosity.

2. If both the actions contradicting reality relate to the past, the perfect Conditional is used in the principal clause and perfect Subjunctive II in the subordinate one:

I’d have gone this morning if I’d been able to get away.

3. The actions in the principal and subordinate clauses may have different time-reference. Sentences of this kind are said to have split condition (or mixed type). The unreal condition may refer to the past (past Subjunctive II) and the unreal consequence to the present (non-perfect Conditional):

How much better I should write now if in my youth I had had the advantage of sensible advice!

The unreal condition may refer to no particular time (non-perfect Subjunctive II) and the unreal consequence may refer to the past (perfect Conditional):

She wouldn’t have told me the story if she disliked me.

The Suppositional Mood and Subjunctive I

These two moods will be treated together because they have the same meaning and are practically interchangeable in use. They differ in form as well as stylistically.

Form: Subjunctive I is a synthetical form which survived from Old English. It has only one form, which is homonymous with the verb stem: be, do, have, go, write, etc.

The Suppositional Mood is an analytical form which is built up with the help of the auxiliary verb should for all persons + the Infinitive. The non-perfect Suppositional mood: should be, should do, should write. The perfect Suppositional Mood: should have been, should have done, should have written.

Meaning: Both Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Mood express problematic actions, not necessarily contradicting reality. These actions are presented as necessity, order, suggestion, supposition, desire, request, etc.

Expressing the same kind of modality, Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Mood are used in the same syntactic structures and are, to a great extent, interchangeable. However, they differ stylistically: thus, in the British variant of the English language Subjunctive I is only preserved in elevated prose, poetry or official documents. In neutral, everyday speech the Suppositional Mood is used. In American English Subjunctive I in neutral and colloquial speech is the norm:

He even suggested that I should play cricket with his sons (Br.E.).

He suggested that I come for her (Am.E.).

Use: A. Simple Sentence

In simple sentences only Subjunctive I is used in a few set expressions as a survival of old usage (the so-called formulaic expressions).

1. Most of them express a wish:

Long live the Army!

Success attend you!

Be yours a happy meeting!

Far be it from me to spoil the fun / to conceal the truth.

Suffice it to say that he is a liar .

God bless you! God save the Queen! Heaven forbid!

Confound your ideas!

Subjunctive I in such expressions can be replaced by “may + Infinitive”:

May success attend you! May your meeting be happy!

May the Army live long!

2. Some formulaic expressions have a concessive meaning:

Happen (come) what may (will).

Cost what it may.

So be it (Be it so).

Subjunctive I in these expressions may be replaced by Let + Infinitive:

Let it be so.

3. The only productive pattern of a simple sentence with Subjunctive I is the sentence expressing a command or a request with an indefinite pronoun as the subject:

Everybody leave the room!

Somebody switch off the light!

Subjunctive I may be replaced in such sentences by “let + Infinitive”:

Let everybody leave the room.

4. The Suppositional Mood is used only in one type of interrogative sentences beginning with And what if …? (А что если вдруг …?):

And what if he should come back?

B. Complex Sentence

Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Mood are used in nominal (subject, object, predicative), attributive appositive and some adverbial clauses.

Nominal and Attributive Appositive Clauses

1. Both Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Mood (non-perfect) can be used in subject, object, predicative and attributive appositive clauses if in the principal clause a modal meaning is expressed (that of order, recommendation, suggestion, supposition, desire, command, etc.)

It is required that all (should) work hard (subject clause).

Our requirement is that all (should) work hard (predicative clause).

We require that all (should) work hard (object clause).

Do you accept our requirement that all (should) work hard? (attributive clause)

It is important that a young man should have really trustworthy friends (subject clause).

My greatest wish in the world is that you should be happy (predicative clause).

He suggested that I (should) go out and help them (object clause).

I haven't the least desire that you should dine with me on that day (attributive appositive clause).

2. Only the Suppositional Mood (both non-perfect and perfect) is used in nominal and attributive appositive clauses if in the principal clause a personal reaction to events is expressed (for instance, with words like amazing, interesting, shocked, sorry, normal, natural, it's a shame, etc.):

It was astonishing that so short a break should have destroyed the habit of years (subject clause).

I'm surprised you should want him to stay in that house (object clause).

A feeling of anger seized her that a letter from Gerald should bring her such pain (attributive appositive clause).

3. The Suppositional Mood (mostly non-perfect, though perfect is also possible) and rarely Subjunctive I are used in nominal and attributive appositive clauses after the expression of fear in the principal clause. The subordinate clause may be introduced by the conjunction "that" or the negative conjunction lest (typical of literary style):

I was terrified lest they should notice me (object clause).

I'm very much afraid that I shouldn't be acceptable (object clause).

Our fear was lest we should be late (predicative clause).

Our fear lest he should hive away our secret was great (attributive clause).

Adverbial Clauses

1. In adverbial clauses of purpose introduced by the conjunction "so that", "lest" (literary style) the non-perfect Suppositional Mood is used, or, rarely, Subjunctive I:

Mary lowered her eyes so that he should not see the faint gleam of amusement in them.

Bertha dared to say nothing lest he should hear the tears in her voice.

After the conjunctions that, so that, in order that, so, the modal phrases may (might) or can (could) + Infinitive may be used:

I tell you this so that you may understand the situation.

He came up closer so that he could see the picture better.

2. In adverbial clauses of concession introduced by though, although, whatever, whoever, whenever, wherever, etc., the non-perfect Suppositional Mood or Subjunctive I may be used with reference to the present or future:

Though he should make every effort he cannot succeed.

Whatever the reason be, the fact remains.

More usual, however, are the modal phrases may (might) + Infinitive:

Whoever he may be, he has no right to be rude.

Though he might have been suspicious, he gave no sign.

3. In the adverbial clauses of condition referring to the future the Suppositional Mood is used to show that the action is possible, though unlikely. Such clauses may be rendered into Russian as: случись так, что …, если случайно …, если так случится, что …, если вдруг ….

In the principal clause the Conditional Mood, the Future Indicative or the Imperative Mood may be used:

If it should be wet they would stay at home.

If you should find another way out, will you inform me?

If you should meet him, give him my best regards.

In literary style conditional clauses of this type are sometimes joined to the principal clause asyndetically (without any conjunctions), by means of inversion:

Should I see him, I will inform him about your decision.