Family always comes before friends.
Shops should be closed on Sundays.
The rich get richer as the poor get poorer.
Everybody should have the right to free education.
The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do.
Every day is a good day.
Dogs make the best pets.
Driving should be taught at school.
Tourism does more harm than good.
Answer key - Articles and nouns - Exercise 7
How many friends do you have?
How much time do you spend on the Internet?
How much alcohol do you drink a week?
How many English books do you have?
How much coffee do you drink a day?
How many hours a day do you spend travelling?
How many pairs of shoes do you have?
How many e-mails do you get a day?
How many times a month do you go out?
How much meat do you eat?
Chapter 11: The subjunctive
The subjunctive is a mood used to express necessity, unreality, wishes or hopes. It is usually difficult to notice, as it has no distinctive forms in current English, only those that resemble other verb forms (bare infinitive, past simple and past perfect).
Past perfect subjunctive
Past subjunctive
Present subjunctive
Past perfect subjunctive
The past perfect subjunctive has the same form as the past perfect tense:
HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE
It is used in subordinate clauses and expresses unreal past situations:
I wish they
had arrived
on time.
(They didn't arrive on time.)
I would've bought the dress if there
hadn't been
such a queue.
(There was a long queue, so I didn't buy the dress.)
She would rather I
had gone
to bed earlier.
(I didn't go to bed early.)
He seems as if he
hadn't slept
for days.
(He seems not to have slept for days, but he has.)
Related topics:
The forms of the participle
Unreal tenses
Third conditional
Wishes about the past
AS IF / AS THOUGH
WOULD RATHER / WOULD SOONER + clause with the past perfect subjunctive
Appendix: irregular verb forms
Past subjunctive
The past subjunctive has the same form as the past simple tense except in the case of the verb be. Traditionally, the past subjunctive form of be is were for all persons, including the first and third person singular. However, today I/he/she/it was is more common while were is mainly used in formal styles and in the set phrase if I were you.
The past subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses and refers to unreal or improbable present or future situations:
If I
were
you, I would apply right now.
(I am not you.)
What would you do if you
won
the lottery?
(You probably won't win the lottery.)
It's time the kids
were
in bed.
(The kids are not in bed.)
I wish you
were
here.
(You are not here.)
I'd rather your boyfriend
stopped
calling you in the middle of the night.
(Your boyfriend keeps calling you.)
He looks as if he
knew
the answer.
(He gives the impression that he knows the answer, but he probably doesn't.)
Related topics:
Form: past simple
Unreal tenses
Second conditional
Wishes about the present
IT'S (HIGH) TIME
AS IF / AS THOUGH
WOULD RATHER / WOULD SOONER + clause with the past subjunctive
Appendix: irregular verb forms
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is identical to the bare infinitive form of the verb in all persons, including the third person singular (no final -s). It is usually used in formal or literary styles:
In certain set phrases
I see what you mean.
Be
that as it may, I can't agree with you.
(even so, still)
Come
what may, I will not resign!
(whatever happens)
"I am a Jedi. Like my father before me." "So
be
it... Jedi."
(it's okay with me, I accept this)
I do not want to bore you;
suffice
it to say, we finally got a full refund.
(it is sufficient to say)
In exclamations that express a wish or hope
Rest
in peace!
Bless
you!
God
save
the King!
After adjectives such as IMPORTANT, ESSENTIAL, VITAL etc.
It is/it was + adjective + that can be followed by a present subjunctive if the adjective expresses importance or necessity or that something should be done:
It is vital that everybody
get
there before the examination begins.
It is desirable that Mr Hanson
hand
in his resignation.
It is important that you
be
at home when the lawyers arrive.
It is essential that the car
be waiting
at the airport.
It is imperative that products
be tested
carefully.
In such sentences, the present subjunctive can be replaced with the less formal should + infinitive:
It is vital that everybody
should get
there before the examination begins.
After verbs such as INSIST, SUGGEST, RECOMMEND etc.