What is the subjunctive?

Sometimes you might write about things that aren’t certain, or that you imagine might happen.

This is called the subjunctive or the subjunctive mood.

If I were in charge, I’d make bedtime later.

It's often used for wishes or suggestions.

I wish I were having pizza for tea.

The subjunctive is also used for formal rules or requests.

The referee requires that everyone follow the rules.

Join Olive as she uses the subjunctive to write her election speech.

The subjunctive mood is used when something is not certain, not real, or more formal than everyday speech.

The subjunctive is often used when writing about wishes or hopes.

I wish I were outside in the sunshine.

It is also used in imagined conditions. The phrase 'if I were' is a good indicator of the subjunctive being used.

If I were in charge, I’d eat ice cream every day.

The subjunctive can also be used for formal requests or rules. It is used after verbs that express a demand or suggestion, such as 'insist', 'recommend' and 'suggest'.

When you write in the subjunctive, you always use the base form of the verb.

This means that the verb does not include any endings such as -s or -ing.

The structure is:

verb of demand + that + subject + base verb

You can use this pattern to build sentences about rules, instructions or strong advice.

The president insists that people follow the rules.

Example 2

Campaign speech

Have a go at writing your own campaign speech using the subjunctive.

Think about what you would change if you were in charge.

Try using a range of different sentence types, such as:

• wishes and hopes

• imagined conditions

• formal requests or rules.

Don’t forget to use the base form of the verb when you’re writing.

The more fun your campaign's wishes and promises, the better!