Let's Just Call It Usage Tip #5

By popular demand, this week's topic is...

subjunctives. In modern English, the subjunctive mood of the verb appears primarily in six contexts:

1. conditions contrary to fact: "if I were king," where the indicative would be am;
2. suppositions: "if I were to go, I wouldn't be able to finish this project," where the indicative would be was;
3. wishes: "I wish that I were able to play the piano," where the indicative would be was;
4. demands and commands: "I insisted that he go," where the indicative would be goes;
5. suggestions and proposals: "I suggest that she think about it a little while longer," where the indicative would be thinks; and
6. statements of necessity: "it's necessary that they be there," where the indicative would be are.

While suppositions and wishes are the most common examples in conversation, the others are most common in writing. And they're worth keeping.

Garner's Modern American Usage, 2003, p. 756.