subjunctive?

[Rex Barnett]

Are both of the following equally correct in English?

It is recommended that the minister be present at the opening.
It is recommended that the minister is present at the opening.

My wife, who is a native French speaker, insists that as we are using the subjunctive we should use "be."

[Temico]

The first one is correct.

"It is recommended that the minister (should) be present at the opening."

[JJM Ballantyne]

Alas, it all depends on where you are. The subjunctive is falling on hard times in English, partly I suppose because there is so little inflection in the verb system and the modals can often do the job just as well.

There's certainly a divergence between American English (AE) and British English (BE) - and it's AE which is proving more conservative about the retention of the subjunctive.

"It is recommended that the minister be present at the opening."

That's AE. Modern BE seems to prefer avoiding the subjunctive one way or another:

"It is recommended that the minister should be present at the opening."

Here in London, I hear the following usage in the media and read it in the papers quite routinely:

"It is recommended that the minister is present at the opening."

[chamodude]

hello,

Well,as far as I can see I guess it's safe ground the second sentance,yet you may find yourself with many other forms.The language is in constant change.

bye
Carlos