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an action is thought of as prior or not to the moment of speech.

Note. The rules of the sequence of tenses are not applied to reported speech expressed in the Subjunctive Mood.

She said she would buy it if she had the money.

(The Subjunctive Mood forms here express an unreal action referring to the time following the moment of speech: Она сказала, что купила бы это... . These forms are homonymous to those of the future in the past: Она сказала, что купит это. . .)

She said she would have bought it if she had had the money.

(The Subjunctive Mood forms here express an unreal action prior to the moment of speech.)

Thus the Subjunctive Mood forms used in indirect speech are the same as in direct speech.

The Use of the Subjunctive Mood

Simple Sentences

Here the synthetical forms of the Subjunctive Mood are more frequent than the analytical ones.

The Present Subjunctive is used:

(1) in a few expressions of wish and hope

Be it so! Да будет так! Come what will! Будь, что будет! Success attend you! Да сопутствует вам успех!

(2) in oaths and imprecations

Manners be hanged! Damn you!

The Past Subjunctive is used in exclamatory sentences to express an unreal wish.

If only he were free! If only he knew it!

The analytical would + simple or perfect infinitive is used to express belief or disbelief, or, rather, to state what would be likely or unlikely under certain circumstances.

I would do it by all means. He wouldn't do a thing like this. I would do anything for you. I wouldn't have the courage to do so. Five years before, I would not have understood it. "Why didn't you leave him?" "What would have been the good of that?"

The emotional should + simple infinitive is used. to express irritation or indignation. It is found in why-questions corresponding to the Russian C кaкой стати...? К чему…?

Why should you and I talk about it? Why should there be one law for men, and another for women.

Complex Sentences

The Subjunctive Mood forms can be used in the main or subordinate clause, or in both parts of different types of complex sentences.

1. The Use of the Subjunctive Mood in Subject Clauses

In subject clauses introduced by it the use of different forms of the Subjunctive Mood depends on the lexical meaning of the predicate of the main clause.

(1) The analytical subjunctive should + infinitive is used after expressions of necessity or recommendation.

necessary obligatory advisable

It is (was) desirable that they should discuss it.

urgent necessary

(2) The same form is found after the passive construction of some verbs expressing suggestion, order, decision.

suggested demanded decided proposed agreed

It is (was) arranged that we should meet at 5 determined o‘clock

required requested recommended

Note. In formal style the Present Subjunctive is used instead of the analytical form.

It was proposed that the conference open at 10 o'clock.

In all these cases the action of the subordinate clause refers the present or future. As a result should is never combined with the perfect infinitive in such constructions.

As a rule, subject clauses of this type are introduced by the conjunction that.

(3) The Past Subjunctive is used after the expression it is time (also it is high time, it is about time).

It is time you knew the rule. It is high time they made up their quarrel.

The rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed here.

It is time he stopped behaving like that. It was time he stopped behaving like that.

2. The Use of the Subjunctive Mood in Predicative Clauses

Here the forms of the Subjunctive Mood depend either on the lexical meaning of the subject of the main clause or that of the linking verb.

(1) When the subject of the main clause is expressed by such abstract nouns as wish, suggestion, aim, condition, idea, etc. the analytical subjunctive with should (for all persons) is used.

His aim was that his enemies should be discredited. The condition was that I should join one of those clubs.

(2) When the linking verb (be, feel, look, seem, etc.) is followed by the conjunction as if or as though the Past or Past Perfect Subjunctive is used as the predicative.

It was as if she were angry with me. He looked as if he knew it to be true. I felt as if I had gone blind. It was as though the world had gone dark.

These examples show that the Past Subjunctive is used when the action of the predicative clause is simultaneous with that of the main clause ( or the linking verb). When the action of the predicative clause is prior to that of the main clause (or the linking verb) the Past Perfect Subjunctive is used.

3. The Use of the Subjunctive Mood in Object Clauses

In object clauses the use of different forms of the Subjunctive Mood depends on the lexical meaning of the verb in the main clause.

(1) Thus should + infinitive is used in object clauses after verbs of suggestion or order.

In all these cases the action of the subordinate clause follows the action of the principal clause. As a result, should is never combined here with the perfect infinitive. Object clauses of this type are generally introduced by the conjunction that.

Note. In official English should + infinitive may be replaced by the Present Subjunctive.

I move that Mr N. be expelled from this club. The doctor insists that he give up smoking.

(2) Past or Past Perfect Subjunctive is in object clauses after the verb wish.

If the action expressed in the object clause is thought of as simultaneous with the moment of speech (or, rather, the time of expressing wish) the Past Subjunctive is used.

I wish he were here. Как бы мне хотелось, чтобы он был здесь. (Как жаль, что его здесь нет.) I wish I knew what to do. Хотел бы я знать, что мне делать. (К сожалению, я не знаю, что мне делать.)

If the action, expressed in the object clause is thought of as prior to the moment of speech the Past Perfect Subjunctive is used.

I wish he had been with us. Как жаль, что его не было тогда с нами. I wish we had thought of it before. Как жаль, что мы не подумали об этом раньше.

Note 1. The analytical subjunctive with would may be used with the second or third person in clauses referring to the present or future.

I wish you would help us. I wish she‘d find something to do. I wish he would tell me the truth.

Note 2. The analytical form could + simple or perfect infinitive may be used for all persons.

I wish I could help you. I wish you could believe that I wish he could have told me that before.

The rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed in this construction.

I wish he were with us. I wished he were with us.

4. The Use of the Subjunctive Mood in Attributive Clauses

In attributive clauses which are usually introduced by the conjunction that the use of the Subjunctive Mood depends on the lexical meaning of the noun they modify.

We find should + infinitive (or rarely the Present Subjunctive) after nouns expressing order, suggestion, wish, agreement and decision. Here belong such nouns as suggestion, proposal, demand, order, request, requirement, recommendation, understanding,

decision, agreement, wish, desire, ambition, etc.

We remember his request that all his books should be kept in place. They unanimously supported the proposal that a committee should be appointed to deal with the matter.

The Present Subjunctive is found in statements of formal

style.

The proposal that a special committee be set up to investigate the matter met with unanimous support.

5. The Use of the Subjunctive Mood in Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences have two parts: the if-clause and the main clause. The Past or Past Perfect Subjunctive is used in the if-clause to express an unreal condition, and should (would) + simple or perfect infinitive — in the main clause to express its possible consequence.

There are three types of sentences of unreal condition.

Type 1. Improbable condition

The verb in the if-clause is in the Past Subjunctive. The verb in the main clause is in the analytical form should (would) + simple infinitive. The Subjunctive Mood here is used to indicate that the supposition is imaginary and refers to the present or future.

If I saw him I should (would) speak to him.

If you started off tomorrow morning, you would (could, might) be at your destination by evening.

Type 2. Impossible condition

The verb in the if-clause is in the Past Perfect Subjunctive.

The verb in the main clause is in the analytical form should (would) + perfect infinitive.

Here the condition cannot be fulfilled because the situation refers to the past.

If I had known of your arrival I should (would) have met you. (but I didn't know so I didn't meet you)

If you had started off yesterday evening, you would (could, might) have been at your destination by morning.

T y p e 3. Mixed

There are two cases here:

(1)The condition refers to the past and the consequence refers to the present or future.

If you had taken the medicine yesterday, you would be better now.

(2)The condition refers to no particular time and the consequence refers to the past.

If she were not so absent-minded, she would not have lost the way.

Note 1. As is known sentences of real condition are expressed in the Indicative Mood.

If I don't have my breakfast on time, I arrive at work late. If I start smoking, I shall start that silly irritating cough again.

Note 2. There may be cases of the Subjunctive Mood used in the conditional clause and the Indicative or Imperative Mood in the main clause.

If you should come to my place, I shall be only glad. If he should come, ask him to wait.

Note 3. Were-to-infinitive can be used instead of the Past Subjunctive in type 1 to emphasize that the supposition is very unlikely.

If I passed the exam, everyone would be astonished. Or: If I were to pass the exam, everyone would be astonished.

Both mean the same, but the second implies that the speaker does not expect to pass (Если бы случилось так…, Случись так

…).

Note 4. Conditional clauses with the auxiliary verbs were, had and should are often introduced without any conjunction. Inversion is used in such cases.

Were I to pass the exam, everyone would be astonished. Should you come, I shall be too glad. Had you let me know beforehand, I would have come by all means.

This construction is more used in writing than in conversation.

Note 5. Unreal condition can also be expressed in the following ways.

(1)But for the rain, we should go to the country. Если бы не дождь, мы бы поехали за город. But for the rain, they would have gone to the country yesterday. Если бы не дождь, мы бы вчера поехали за город. (The same situation refers to the past.)

(2)If it were not for the storm, we should arrive on time.

Если бы не дождь, мы бы, пожалуй, и смогли прибыть

вовремя. If it had not been for the storm, we should have arrived much earlier. Если бы не шторм, мы бы прибыли гораздо раньше.

6. The Use of the Subjunctive Mood in Adverbial Clauses

Besides conditional sentences, the Subjunctive Mood forms expressing, unreality are found in adverbial clauses of purpose, of comparison and of concession.

(1) Clauses of purpose are introduced by the conjunction so that (sometimes that, in order that which are more characteristic of literary style or so which is colloquial). The predicate in these clauses is expressed by might or could + infinitive.

I spoke to them so that they might (could) tell me the truth. I tried to forget it so that I could go on living.

The analytical subjunctive form should + infinitive (especially in the negative) is also often used in clauses of purpose.

She spoke in a low voice so that the baby should not wake up. We hurried up so that we should not miss the train. He advised him to marry so that he‘d have someone to look after him.

Note. In literary style clauses of purpose are sometimes introduced by the conjunction lest, In this case should + infinitive is used in the affirmative, as the conjunction lest has a negative meaning.

He hid the letter lest his father should read it.

The rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed in clauses with the Subjunctive Mood.

(2) Clauses of comparison may be also interpreted as clauses