Which of the following sentences is written in the subjunctive mood?
A) I will feel flush after I get my very first paycheck for this job.
B) I insisted that my brother do the dishes because I set the table.
C) If I were rich, I would get convertibles for us both.
D) If I win the lottery, I hope that you’ll help me spend the money.
I think it is B because it is stating a fact. However, I believe B may be correct and incorrect, because insisting shows a wish which could be a Subjunctive Mood. Can someone help me with this? Thanks, Kevin Black.
Verbs in the subjunctive mood express doubt; they do not express a fact.
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The correct answer is C) "If I were rich, I would get convertibles for us both." This sentence is written in the subjunctive mood. In the clause "If I were rich," the verb "were" is in the subjunctive form, which is used to express a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact condition. The use of "would" in the second clause also indicates the subjunctive mood, as it is used to express a hypothetical outcome.
You are correct that sentence B contains elements of the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is used to express hypothetical or unreal situations, wishes, suggestions, or demands that are contrary to reality. In this sentence, the verb “do” in the clause “I insisted that my brother do the dishes” is in the subjunctive mood. It expresses a demand or a requirement that is contrary to reality because it implies that the dishes were not actually done by the brother.
However, it is worth noting that not all languages grammatically distinguish the subjunctive mood in the same way. In English, the subjunctive mood often looks the same as the indicative mood (used for facts and statements). But there are certain verb forms and constructions that are specifically used in the subjunctive mood, and one of those is the use of the base form of the verb (infinitive form without "to") after certain verbs like "insist," "demand," "suggest," etc.
To identify the subjunctive mood in English, look for verb forms that express unreal or contrary-to-fact situations, or constructions that use the base form of the verb after certain verbs. In the given options, sentence C, "If I were rich, I would get convertibles for us both," is also an example of the subjunctive mood. The verb form "were" is used instead of "was," indicating a hypothetical or imagined scenario where the speaker is not actually rich.
So, both sentences B and C are written in the subjunctive mood.