Past Subjunctive

Past Subjunctive Usage 1. used in order to indicate that conditions being expressed are false or improbable "If I were/was" If I were rich, I would travel around the world. "If I had been" If he had been here, he would have been glad to see you. 2. used in a clause after "as though" or "as if" to express unreality, improbability or doubt supposedly at the time of the action expressed in the main clause. He behaves as if he owned the place. (But he really doesn’t own it, or we don’t think he owns it) He talks as though he knew where she was. 3. used in expressing wishes "I wish I were..." I wish I were an eagle then I could fly. "I wish I had..." I wish I had known that before I did something stupid. "I wish sb/ sth would..." I wish the rain would stop now. "Would that I were...". Would that I were perfect, everything in my life would be perfect. 4. use in a clause after "would rather" or "would sooner" to express preferences in the present "would rather" I don’t like to write to him, I would rather (that) you did it. I’d rather you delivered the cargo next Friday. "would sooner" I'd sooner ask a stranger than approach that horrible man for help. 5. used in a clause after "It’s (about/high) time" It’s eight o’clock now. It’s high time we left. The examination is coming. It’s time we went over our lessons. Perfect Subjunctive Form: Similar to the past perfect: Had + Past Participle Usage 1. used to express hypotheses about past actions (unreal conditions in the past) If I had got up early yesterday, I would not have missed the bus. (In fact, I did not get up early, and I missed the bus.) 2. in a clause after “as if/ as though” to express unreality, improbability or doubt ajvilches. 5/2009 http://www.vocw.edu.vn/content/m11102/latest/ http://www.wordpower.ws/grammar/gramch09.html http://www.alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxsubjun.html

supposedly before the time of the action expressed in the main clause. He looks/ looked as if he had seen the ghost. (In fact, he didn’t see any ghost.)

ajvilches. 5/2009 http://www.vocw.edu.vn/content/m11102/latest/ http://www.wordpower.ws/grammar/gramch09.html http://www.alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxsubjun.html