Subjunctive Mood in English: Master It at B2 Level

The English subjunctive mood refers to a type of verbal construction employed in situations that are not necessarily factual. It can be found in statements concerning wishes, requests, proposals, importance, hypotheses, hypothetical comparisons and in combination with imperatives.

One important characteristic of the subjunctive mood is that it usually presents a “non-standard” verb construction with respect to the subject. Formal English uses the subjunctive when saying, “I suggest that he apply,” rather than “He applies” and “If I were you,” rather than “If I was you.” This is because the subjunctive does not necessarily obey the subject-verb agreement rule.

Common subjunctive mood triggers & formulas

While in informal speech the use of the subjunctive is less frequent, it is commonly used in writing, tests, professional communication and formal speech. This is the ultimate cheat sheet of subjunctive mood examples, triggers and constructions for B2 level students.

Use of the present subjunctive in English follows verbs and phrases that are said to be “bossy” from a grammatical point of view. They express some kind of suggestion, request, recommendation, insistence or demand for something.

This particular usage is sometimes referred to as the Mandative Subjunctive, because it occurs whenever somebody offers advice or makes a request formally or insists on an action being done.

The present subjunctive can be easily found in scientific texts, business letters, official instructions, test assignments and polite demands. It might appear a bit confusing at first sight, particularly due to the fact that the verb does not conjugate in the usual way.

The “bare infinitive” rule

The main thing to know about present subjunctive mood grammar is that the bare infinitive (infinitive without “to”) should follow the trigger structure.

That means the verb stays in its basic form. There is no “-s” after he, she, or it. There is no “to” before the verb. And the verb “to be” stays as “be”, not is, are, or was.

Compare these examples:

Trigger verbs in practice

The present subjunctive form is used following verbs that need a that-clause, like recommend, demand, suggest, insist and request. The action that follows such verbs is something that is wanted, expected, or thought to be necessary.

The basic structure is:

And there is also another small but very helpful thing: the word “that” sometimes could be omitted in informal English. One could say: “I suggest he apply for the job.” That is a possibility of correct grammar usage, which is typical for a quick conversion.

But for students studying the subjunctive mood at B2 level, it is better to use “that” in any formal writing, including test essays, reports and business e-mails.

One common error is using the infinitive with “to” in conjunction with trigger verbs if they require an action to be expressed by a that-clause. This usually occurs because learners tend to translate from their first language. This construction is not applicable in English.

Adjectives of importance

Subjunctive is not used only after English verbs. It also appears after adjectives that show something is essential. You can use the following pattern with adjectives such as important, essential, crucial, necessary, vital, imperative and advisable.

The most common structure is:

This subjunctive mood structure is especially useful in formal contexts because it helps you sound precise without being too direct. Instead of saying, “You must send the documents today,” you can write “It is important that you send the documents today.” The meaning is still clear, but the tone is more suitable for professional contexts.

How to form the negative Present Subjunctive

The negative form of the present subjunctive is also different from normal present tense grammar. We do not use don’t, or doesn’t.

Instead, place not directly before the bare infinitive:

This negative pattern is common in legal, academic, and business English. While it might seem somewhat elevated in informal speech, this is precisely the type of construction that will make your writing appear more sophisticated.

The Past Subjunctive moves us beyond norms, requirements and suggestions into unreal scenarios. Rather than stating facts, this tense helps us imagine an alternate reality, convey feelings of regret or disappointment and create images in our imagination.

From the perspective of a B2 student, this section is somewhat easier to distinguish, as it relates to more familiar grammatical contexts such as Second Conditional, wishes and expressions of as if/as though. However, the label “past” can be deceptive, as the Past Subjunctive often deals with the present rather than the past.

The “if I were” rule: Second Conditional

According to Past Subjunctive rules, “were” can signal the Past Subjunctive when it is used in unreal or hypothetical situations. In this use, the verb “to be” becomes “were” for all subjects, including I, he, she, and it. However, “were” is not always subjunctive, as it is also used in other past forms in English.

“Wish” and “if only” clauses

For present unreal situations, we use “wish” clauses or “if only” + the past simple, or “were,” when we want the present situation to be different: “I wish I lived closer.” / “If only he were more honest.” These structures often express regret, frustration, or a strong desire for another reality.

“As if” / “as though” comparisons

In the case of the usage of “as if” and “as though”, there must be some kind of behavior, attitude, or appearance of an individual that reflects the situation that does not exist.

At B2/C1, the use of the subjunctive does not depend solely on grammatical structure. It can alter the entire meaning of the sentence where it occurs. The same verb, the same subject and the same word can create two different meanings depending on the choice of the mood.

The indicative mood is used in statements of fact or reality. The subjunctive mood is used when making demands, offering recommendations, wishing something, or describing an unreal situation.

Compare the following sentences of subjunctive vs. indicative:

Here, “was” is indicative. The speaker is saying, “I am sure he was there.” It sounds like a statement from a witness or someone defending a fact.

In this case, “be” is subjunctive. The speaker is not talking about the past. They are demanding that he attend or be present.

This is why subjunctives matter in formal English. They help distinguish between the truth of what someone is saying and their desire for something to occur. This distinction becomes particularly important for examinations, business writing and advanced communication.

Some forms of the subjunctive have survived in English through set expressions. They are also referred to as fossilized expressions since the form of grammar may be old-fashioned, but the expressions are still understood and used.

There is no need to alter these expressions or construct sentences using them. Rather, you should memorize these expressions as whole pieces of the English language.

Such phrases will help you speak English in a natural way. However, one should avoid their overuse. It is important to know how to use such expressions properly and choose them depending on the tenses in English that are suitable in a certain situation and the context of communication.

Subjunctive mood might seem rather peculiar at the very beginning, when one encounters such constructions as “I recommend that he go” or “If I were you”. But as soon as one gets the underlying logic, the structure seems much clearer. 

It’s not just about remembering some random exceptions; it’s all about identifying some distinct patterns – recommendation, demand, statement, wish, unreal condition and formal expression.

Being a B2 level learner, studying how to use the subjunctive mood is a sensible move on the path of acquiring more precise and advanced language. It will make your essay writing, e-mail communication and discussions about hypothetical things more coherent and proficient. The more you practice these constructions in context, the more familiar they become to you.