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Unit 20: The subjunctive
UK vs US English

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  1. 1Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
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  3. 3If or whether?
  4. 45 ways to use 'would'
  5. 5Let and allow
  6. 6Passive voice
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  12. 12The continuous passive
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  14. 14Need + verb-ing
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  16. 16Wish
  17. 17Word stress
  18. 18Different ways of saying 'if'
  19. 19Passive reporting structures
  20. 20The subjunctive
  21. 21When and if
  22. 22Inversion
  23. 23Phrasal verbs
  24. 24The future
  25. 25Modals in the past
  26. 26Narrative tenses
  27. 27Phrasal verb myths
  28. 28Conditionals review
  29. 29Used to - review
  30. 30Linking words of contrast

Session 1

Take a journey with Dan as he hunts down the  mysterious subjunctive verb form! Can he find any examples hiding in the corridors of the BBC, in just 90 seconds?

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

English Class

Hunting down the subjunctive

Do not adjust your screen… Dan leads us on a strange journey through the corridors of the BBC to look for a rare verb form – the subjunctive. Can he find any examples to share with you?

Vidiyoo daawwadhuuti shaakala kana xumuri

Barreeffama agarsiisiBarreeffama dhoksi

Hi guys. Dan from BBC Learning English here. Deep in the darkest heart of the BBC.

We’re on a quest for the very rare subjunctive verb form.

They used to be everywhere in old English but in modern English they are much harder to find. It is vital that we be here for no longer than 90 seconds. Are you ready? Go!

So, the subjunctive is a verb form which expresses possible, unreal, imaginary or desirable situations. We see it most often in conditionals and wishes. But it can still be found in a few other very useful places.

"I've found some! Finally!"

One place subjunctives can be found is in sentences that start: It + be + an adjective:

It is important that you go as soon as possible

It’s essential that he see a doctor

It’s crucial that they leave the building

It’s best that you not be at the meeting

These verb forms here are subjunctives. Notice that with a third person subjunctive – he, she and it – we don’t add an s and to make a negative subjunctive we use not.

These sentences are very formal.

The other place we can find a subjunctive is with verbs like recommend and suggest. Again the same rules apply:

I suggest that you be there on time

I recommend that he not drink so much again

And that’s it! Maybe they aren’t so rare after all. For more information and a full transcript of everything that was said here, go to BBC Learning English.com.

Summary

The subjunctive is a verb form which expresses possible, unreal, imaginary or desirable situations. We see it most often in conditionals and wishes.

We also find it in sentences that start with: It + be + an adjective:

It is important that you go as soon as possible

It’s essential that he see a doctor

It’s crucial that they leave the building

It’s best that you not be at the meeting

These sentences are very formal. Notice that the form of the subjunctive is almost always the same as the form of the infinitive (except for be).

The other place we can find a subjunctive is with verbs like recommend and suggest:

I suggest that you be there on time

I recommend that he not drink so much again

To do

Practise the subjunctive with our quiz.

I recommend that you answer these questions!

3 Questions

How much did you understand? Use the subjunctive to complete these sentences...

Baga gammadde! Qormaata xumurteetta
Excellent!Great job!Carraa badaa!Qabxii argatte:
x / y

End of Session 1

Well done that's the end of this session. We recommend that you try the next session!

Next

Vocabulary from the news in News Review.

Caasluga kutaa kanaa

  • The subjunctive expresses possible, unreal, imaginary or desirable situations.

    We see it most often in conditionals and wishes.

    We also find it in sentences that start with: 

    It + be + an adjective:

    It is important that you go as soon as possible

    It’s essential that he see a doctor

Wabii caasluga guutuu agarsiisi

Session Vocabulary

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