The Use of the Conditional Mood and the Subjunctive II

The Conditional Mood and the Subjunctive II are normally used in complex sentences with subordinate clause of condition, if the condition is hardly probable or unrealizable. The Conditional Mood is used in the main clause and the Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause. Each of these forms is used in the required tense that is necessary according to the sense. If the actions of the main and the subordinate clauses refer to the present or to the future, the Present Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause of condition and the Present Conditional is used in the main clause. If the actions of the main and the subordinate clauses refer to the past, the Past Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause of condition and the Past Conditional is used in the main clause:

Ex. If I were you, I wouldn’t do it today. (The actions of the sentence refer to present).

Ex. If you had come to my place last summer, we would have had a wonderful time. (The actions of the sentence refer to past).

If the action of the subordinate clauses refers to the past, and the action of the main clause refers to the present, the Past Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause, and the Present Conditional is used in the main one:

Ex. If you had done it yesterday, today you would be free. (The action of the subordinate clauses refers to the past, and the action of the main clause refers to the present).

If the action of the main clause refers to the past and the subordinate clause represents the common characteristics of the definite person, the Past Conditional is used in the main clause and the Present Subjunctive II is used in the subordinate clause.

Ex. You wouldn’t have failed your last exam if you were not so absent-minded. (The action of the main clause refers to the past and the subordinate clause represents the common characteristics of the definite person).

The Subjunctive II can also be used in simple sentences to express a desirable action or a condition which is contrary to reality:

Ex. If only she were here! (The action of the simple sentence is desirable but is contrary to reality).

The Subjunctive II is also used in the objective subordinate clauses if the predicate of the main clause is expressed by the verb to wish. In this case the Subjunctive II expresses a desirable action or a condition which is contrary to reality.

If the action of the subordinate clause is simultaneous with that of the main clause, the Present Subjunctive is used in the subordinate clause, and if the action of the subordinate clause is prior to that of the main clause, the Past Subjunctive is used:

Ex. I wish you were my brother. (The action of the subordinate clause is simultaneous with that of the main clause).

Ex. I wish you had come to my birthday party yesterday. (The action of the subordinate clause is prior to that of the main clause).

The Subjunctive II is also used in subordinate clauses which are connected with main clauses by means of the conjunctions as if and as though. If the action of the subordinate clause is simultaneous with that of the main clause, which is normally used in the Indicative Mood, the Present Subjunctive is used in the subordinate clause, and if the action of the subordinate clause is prior to that of the main clause, the Past Subjunctive is applied.

Ex. He knows English so well as if he were an Englishman. (The action of the subordinate clause is simultaneous with that of the main clause).

Ex. He knows English so well as though he had lived in London for many years. (The action of the subordinate clause is prior to that of the main clause).

Check Yourself (The Oblique Moods)

Make sure you can answer the following questions:

1. What does the category of Mood express?

2. What is the function of the Oblique Moods?

3. What Moods are called Oblique?

4. What are the forms of the Infinitive?

5. Can we say that each notional verb has the six forms of the Infinitive? Why?

6. What do the Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Mood express?

7. What is the difference between the Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Mood?

8. How is the Subjunctive I formed?

9. How is the Conditional Mood formed?

10. What kinds can the Suppositional Mood be of?

11. How is the Present Suppositional formed?

12. Where does the Present Suppositional refer an action to?

13. How is the Past Suppositional formed?

14. Where does the Past Suppositional refer an action to?

15. How many cases are the Subjunctive I and the Suppositional Moods used in?

16. What are the cases?

17. How is the Conditional Mood formed?

18. What is the difference between the auxiliary verbs should and would in their use?

19. What tense form of the Indicative Mood does the Conditional Mood coincide with?

20. What is the difference between the use purpose of the Conditional Mood and the Future-in-the-Past?

21. What kinds of sentences is the Conditional Mood used in?

22. How is the Present Conditional formed?

23. What tense form of the Indicative Mood does the Present Conditional coincide with?

24. Where does the Present Conditional refer an action to?

25. How is the Past Conditional formed?

26. What tense form of the Indicative Mood does the Past Conditional coincide with?

27. Where does the Past Conditional refer an action to?

28. What is the difference between the Common Aspect and the Continuous Aspect of the Conditional Mood?

29. How many forms does the Subjunctive II have?

30. What tense form of the Indicative Mood does the Present Subjunctive II coincide with?

31. What is the difference between the use purpose of the Present Subjunctive II and Past Indefinite of the Indicative Mood?

32. Where does the Present Subjunctive II refer an action to?

33. What tense form of the Indicative Mood does the Past Subjunctive II coincide with?

34. What is the difference between the use purpose of the Past Subjunctive II and Past Perfect of the Indicative Mood?

35. Where does the Past Subjunctive II refer an action to?

36. What kinds of sentences is the Subjunctive II used in?

37. What tense forms of the Conditional Mood and the Subjunctive II are used if all the actions in each clause of the sentence refer to present?

38. What tense forms of the Conditional Mood and the Subjunctive II are used if all the actions in each clause of the sentence refer to past?

39. What tense forms of the Conditional Mood and the Subjunctive II are used if the action of the subordinate clause refers to the past, and the action of the main clause refers to the present?

40. What tense forms of the Conditional Mood and the Subjunctive II are used if the action of the main clause refers to the past and the subordinate clause represents the common characteristics of the definite person?

41. What tense forms of the Conditional Mood and the Subjunctive II are used if all the actions in each clause of the sentence refer to present?

42. What are the peculiarities of the Subjunctive II use in object subordinate clauses of complex sentences with the verb to wish?

43. When is the Present Subjunctive II used in object subordinate clauses of complex sentences with the verb to wish?

44. When is the Past Subjunctive II used in object subordinate clauses of complex sentences with the verb to wish?

45. What are the peculiarities of the Subjunctive II use in object subordinate clauses of complex sentences connected with main clause by means of the conjunctions as if and as though?

46. What is the difference between the Common Aspect and the Continuous Aspect of the Subjunctive II?

Exercises (Oblique Moods)

Exercise 1. Comment on the mood of the verb in the following sentences:

1. He thought they wouldn’t tell her anything. 2. If Bill had not told her about it, she would have never learnt. 3. I shall call on you if I find some spare time. 4. Go to the blackboard and recite the poem you have learnt. 5. At that moment I didn’t understand what was going on around. 6. If I remembered all these words, I could translate this text without a dictionary. 7. The article wasn’t difficult and I could easily translate it. 8. She can imagine it so clearly as if it had really happened. 9. It was very important that they be there in time. 10. She promised me that she would come to my place the next week. 11. He would behave differently if he realized what really has happened. 12. I told her I didn’t remember about that. 13. He demanded that we should start at once. 14. Don’t look at me as if you didn’t know what had happened. 15. They would invite you but you live so far from their place.