Indicative Mood,
Imperative Mood
and Subjunctive Mood
English moods include the
indicative
mood, the
imperative
mood and the
subjunctive
mood. What
are they and how do you use them correctly?
Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses
First of all, what is a
MOOD?
mood
= a way to express the attitude of the speaker to what is being
said.
There are three moods in English.
Indicative Mood
"We
finished the project on time."
Indicative means
"stating a fact."
The
indicative mood
is a category of
verb
forms that we use to state facts.
Examples:
- "Joe plays
outside." (The speaker thinks it's a fact.)
- "It will
rain soon." (The speaker thinks it's a fact.)
- "She was
studying all day long." (The speaker thinks it's a fact.)
The indicative mood is the basic mood of
verbs in English.
Imperative Mood
"Get
plenty of rest!"
Imperative
means "expressing an order."
The
imperative mood
is a category of verb forms that we use to express orders,
instructions, commands or requests.
Examples:
- "Go
outside!" (This is a command.)
- "Close
the door, please." (This is a request.)
- "Don't
move the object." (This is an instruction.)
Subjunctive
Mood
"I
wish I had some cheese..."
Subjunctive means "subordinate" (less important than
something else) or "dependent" (needing something/someone else).
The
subjunctive mood
is a category of verb forms that we use to express things that are not
facts: wishes, possibilities, doubts, suggestions, conditions, etc.
Examples:
- "It may
snow tomorrow."
(It is not a fact yet. It is a possibility in the speaker's mind.)
(Incorrect:
"It will
snow tomorrow.")
- "I would
do it if I had
the time."
(It is not a fact. It depends on me having the time.)
- "You should
listen to your parents."
(It is not a fact. It is a suggestion.)
- "I suggest that Robert wait a few
minutes."
(It is not a fact. It is a suggestion.)
(Incorrect:
"I suggest that Robert waits
a few minutes.")
- "It's important that Sandra leave on time."
(It is not a fact. It is what needs to be done.)
(Incorrect:
"It's important that Sandra leaves on
time.")
- "I doubt that Mary would
forget your birthday."
(It is not a fact that Mary will forget the birthday. The speakers has doubts about it.)
- "Father insisted that Jennifer go to school."
(It is not a fact that Jennifer will go to school. It is her father's
intention.)
(Incorrect:
"Father insisted that Jeniffer goes
to school.")
- "If he had
worked harder, he would have completed
the task on time."
(He didn't work harder, so he didn't complete the task on time.)
- "I wish I were
faster."
(I am not faster. This is a wish in my mind.)
(Incorrect:
"I wish I was
faster.")
- "If I were
you, I would
accept the offer."
(I am not you. This is an unreal condition in my
mind.)
(Incorrect:
"If I was
you, I will
accept the offer.")
- "I wish it were
summer
now."
(It is not summer now. This is a wish in my mind.)
(Incorrect:
"I wish it is
summer now.")
- "She suggests that Michael move to the
sales department."
(Incorrect:
"She suggests that Michael moves
to the sales department.")
All these sentences were examples of the use of the subjunctive mood.
Related articles:
English
Conditionals: First Conditional, Second Conditional, Third Conditional
and Zero Conditional
English
Modal Verbs
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