The mandative subjunctive is a grammatical mood used to express demands, suggestions, recommendations, or requirements. It is often triggered by verbs, nouns, or adjectives that imply necessity or obligation. Unlike the indicative mood, the mandative subjunctive uses the base form of the verb (e.g., *be*, *go*, *have*) regardless of the subject.
Examples:
The mandative subjunctive is used in formal or written English, especially in contexts involving:
The mandative subjunctive follows a specific structure:
Examples:
The mandative subjunctive is often indicated by specific verbs, nouns, or adjectives. Here are some common words that are often used to introduce the mandative subjunctive.
| Categories | Words | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Verbs | demand | The boss demanded that she finish the report. |
| suggest | I suggest that he apply for the job. | |
| recommend | The doctor recommended that she rest for a week. | |
| insist | She insisted that they leave early. | |
| request | He requested that the meeting be postponed. | |
| propose | They proposed that the plan be revised. | |
| Nouns | demand | The demand that he resign was met with resistance. |
| suggestion | Her suggestion that we start early was accepted. | |
| recommendation | The recommendation that the policy be changed was approved. | |
| requirement | The requirement that all students attend the lecture was strict. | |
| proposal | The proposal that the budget be increased was debated. | |
| Adjectives | essential | It is essential that she be on time. |
| necessary | It is necessary that they complete the form. | |
| important | It is important that he understand the rules. | |
| vital | It is vital that the issue be resolved quickly. | |
| crucial | It is crucial that we act now. |
The mandative subjunctive uses the base form of the verb (e.g., be, go, have) and is typically triggered by verbs, nouns, or adjectives that imply necessity or obligation, such as demand, suggest, essential, or recommendation. It is more common in formal writing or speech, especially in American English. For example, "It is essential that she be on time" uses the subjunctive to convey necessity.
The indicative mood uses standard verb forms that agree with the subject in tense and number, making it more common in informal or spoken English. For instance, "It is essential that she is on time" uses the indicative, which is less formal and more typical in British English.
The mandative subjunctive has undergone significant historical development and exhibits notable dialectal variation across English-speaking regions. Historically, the subjunctive was widely used in Old and Middle English but saw a decline in frequency during the Early Modern English period. However, it experienced a revival in American English during the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in formal writing, where it remains a common feature.
British English has largely replaced the subjunctive with the indicative mood or modal constructions (e.g., should + base verb). For example, while an American speaker might say, "It is important that she be informed," a British speaker would more likely say, "It is important that she is informed" or "It is important that she should be informed."
