The subjunctive is typically found in rather formal English constructions with that and with verbs such as suggest, demand, insist, ask, recommend, etc.: The subjunctive of to be is simply be in most cases, but were is used in certain constructions with if and to express a wish (see below). With these verbs, the same forms are used whether or not the context is the present or the past.

The subjunctive form of a verb (apart from to be) is made from the 3 rd person present singular, without the -s (or - es) ending. This mood has a limited role in English compared to other languages such as French or Italian, but it's important to use it properly in formal writing. The subjunctive mood is used to express a wish or possibility. We would live in Spain if we had the money. If he’d arrived earlier, we would have had time for dinner. It’s used to make requests and to refer to situations which are uncertain or which depend on something else happening or being the case: The conditional mood is made from the auxiliary verb would (also should with I and we) and the infinitive of the other verb without to. Interrogatives are formed by adding an auxiliary verb to another verb, with the auxiliary verb typically being placed before the subject: It’s used to order or ask someone to do something, to offer advice or encouragement, to give instructions, or to make suggestions: The imperative doesn't typically have a subject. Imperatives in the affirmative are formed with the infinitive of the verb (without to), while negative imperatives are made with the infinitive together with do + not.

The imperative is used in commands and instructions. The form of a verb that is used to express statements of fact: In grammar, mood is used to refer to a verb category or form which indicates whether the verb expresses a fact (the indicative mood), a command (the imperative mood), a question (the interrogative mood), a condition (the conditional mood), or a wish or possibility (the subjunctive mood).

Sentence moods