it is high time...

[engee30]

I've read that it's dead.

In one book it reads that the subjunctive is a pale shadow of what it used to be. Almost extinct.

[garret]

In one book it reads that the subjunctive is a pale shadow of what it used to be. Almost extinct.

What the book says is in a way true...BUT


The subjunctive is tested in English Language Exams such as the FCE / CPE (Cambridge) and ECCE / ECPE (Michigan) and one will certainly find it in every single book that is meant to prepare you for English Language Exams.

[5jj]

That's quite interesting. We'll see how others, especially teachers, look at it.

You were right, engee. There is no future subjunctive in English. There's no future indicative, either.

Present Indicative:......he is......he comes
Present Subjunctive:...he be.... he come

Past Indicative: .........he was ..he came
Past Subjunctive:.......he were. he came

[Kotfor]

Not a teacher

Yes, some say that there are two tenses in English. I am pretty much sure that this concept is correct but not useful for majority.

Were he a talented musician I would invite him to play.
Be he a talented musician I will invite him to play.

[5jj]

Yes, some say that there are two tenses in English. I am pretty much sure that this concept is correct but not useful for the majority.
Most writers on grammar today agree that there are two tenses in English. Most people find a realistic view of the language very useful. The belief that will + bare infinitive was the future tense caused enormous problems for both learners and teachers.

I do not quite see the relevance of the two sentences that follow, especially as the second is not acceptable modern English.

Were he a talented musician I would invite him to play.
Be he a talented musician I will invite him to play.

5

[Kotfor]

1) I can say only about my personal experience as for this concept of two tenses in English. I have never seen good results achieved by average students using this concept. I still must admit that only Russian speaking students are implied. May be for some students it is a useful thing.
2) Be It Right Or Wrong.
Be that as it may.

[5jj]

Be It Right Or Wrong.
Be that as it may.

Kotfor, if you are trying to make a point, please say what the point is, rather than just give two 'sentences' with no explanation.

If you wish to know if those two are acceptable English, the answer is 'yes', though the first would very rarely be met in BrE. They are not, however, normally acceptable on their own; each is part of a longer utterance.