Past or present

[tufguy]

Hi guys,

Actually I read something and that is making me confused, here are those sentences.

1) He suggested that we went to the cinema.

2) He suggested that we go to the cinema or should go to the cinema, do they have the same meaning.

3) He demanded that I apologized or He demanded that I apologize or should apologize.

So, my question is do we have to use past form after suggest/ demand/ recommend or can we also use simple while referring to the past incident, are these sentences correct?

 

[riquecohen]

Hi guys,

Actually I read something and that is making me confused, here are those sentences.

1) He suggested that we went to the cinema. Not correct.

2) He suggested that we go to the cinema AmE or should go to the cinema BrE, do they have the same meaning. They have the same meaning.

3) He demanded that I apologized Not correct or He demanded that I apologize or should apologize. Both correct.

So, my question is do we have to use past form after suggest/ demand/ recommend .or can we also use simple while referring to the past incident, are these sentences correct?

The subjunctive is used in cases where the verb says that something should or must be done,The verbs you cite, as well as others such as request, propose, insist, require, etc.,when followed by that, call for the use of the subjunctive in the verb that follows. This is used more in AmE than in BrE, where should is the norm. (For example, "He demanded that I should apologize.)

 

[bhaisahab]

"He suggested that we go to the cinema." This is correct and natural for this BrE speaker.

 

[tufguy]

But I read this expression in the grammer book" My friend suggested that I bought a car", so what does it mean. And there is one more formation, is this correct " Bob's friend suggested that he asks for the meal, when he goes there, so he went there and asked for the meal"

 

[Raymott]

Hi guys,
Actually I read something and that is making me confused. Here are those sentences.

What do you mean by "actually" here? It doesn't have a meaning that fits.

 

[emsr2d2]

But I read this expression in the grammar book": My friend suggested that I bought a car", so what does it mean?

And there is one more formation - is this correct? "Bob's friend suggested that he asks for the meal, when he goes there, so he went there and asked for the meal."

Which grammar book did you read it in and what grammar term was it trying to explain?

Your second sentence, starting with "Bob's friend", makes no sense at all unfortunately. What are you trying to say?

 

[tufguy]

so what would be the correct formation for the second sentence, and what about the first one(It was trying to explain that we can't use to after suggest)?

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't tell you the correct construction for the second sentence because I don't know what you are trying to say. Try to explain it in different words and we will see what we can do.

 

[riquecohen]

But I read this expression in the grammer book" My friend suggested that I bought a car", so what does it mean. And there is one more formation, is this correct " Bob's friend suggested that he asks for the meal, when he goes there, so he went there and asked for the meal"

"My friend suggested that I buy a car" or "...that I should buy a car." Both are correct.
As for the second sentence, does this work for you? "Bob's friend suggested that he ask for the meal when he goes there, so he went there and asked for the meal"?

 

[tufguy]

In the second sentence I want to say that "Bob's friend suggested him that he should ask for the meal when he goes(Don't know whether I should use "goes" or "went") to the house of one of his friends, so bob asked for the meal after reaching his friend's home(as per his other friend's request). I have a question don't we have to use past form of "go" after "when" because we are talking about an incident that happened in the past, and why did "Riquecohen" used ask instead of asks. And one more thing as I said I read one formation from the grammer book " My friend suggested that I bought a car", so can it mean, my friend suggested me buying a car, so I bought a car.

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't make sense of something which suggests that a person goes to a friend's house and then asks for a specific meal when he/she gets there. Surely if you go to eat at a friend's house, you eat whatever your friend cooks for you.

 

[tufguy]

Ok but what is the answer to my question? this is just a question. In the second sentence I want to say that "Bob's friend suggested him that he should ask for the meal when he goes(Don't know whether I should use "goes" or "went") to the house of one of his friends, so bob asked for the meal after reaching his friend's home(as per his other friend's request). I have a question don't we have to use past form of "go" after "when" because we are talking about an incident that happened in the past, and why did "Riquecohen" used ask instead of asks. And one more thing as I said I read one formation from the grammer book " My friend suggested that I bought a car", so can it mean, my friend suggested me buying a car, so I bought a car.

 

[Raymott]

And one more thing as I said I read one formation from the grammer book " My friend suggested that I bought a car", so can it mean, my friend suggested me buying a car, so I bought a car.

That sentence is wrong. It's ungrammatical. It doesn't mean "My friend suggested that I buy a car."
What did "the grammer book" say about the sentence?

 

[Rover_KE]

...and if your 'grammer book' can't spell its own title correctly, throw it away.

 

[tufguy]

Ok so it is better to use "should" after it like "My firend suggested that I should buy/ buy a car so, I bought a car", and you are saying saying we can't say "suggested doing something" , it would be wrong.

 

[Weaver67]

Ok so it is better to use "should" after it like "My firend suggested that I should buy/ buy a car so, I bought a car", and you are saying saying we can't say "suggested doing something" , it would be wrong.

(neither a teacher nor an English speaker )

("it would be wrong" ) No, I don't think so. No one of the two is better than the other in this context. Also, I think it may be advisable for you to google for "the present subjunctive" - this may answer why "my friend suggested that I bought..." is incorrect.