[Grammar] The verb "suggest"

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aggigar

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Hello there!
I'd like to ask whether the sentence "I suggested that we organized a campaign." (indirect speech) is correct ...:lol:
 

Raymott

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No it isn't. You want, "I suggested that we organize a campaign."
 

Matthew Wai

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Is "organize" the present subjunctive here?
 

Matthew Wai

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If the OP does not mean to add emphasis, can "organized" be used grammatically?
 

SoothingDave

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Only in the sense of being unaware of something that has already been organized. Say you walk into a room and there is a party going on. It would be fair to suggest at that moment that someone had organized a party.

But when talking about suggesting that someone do something in the future, you need to use the subjunctive.
 

aggigar

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That's what I thought, but I saw it once in a grammar book for BrE .... So is there any chance that it might actually be correct?
 

SoothingDave

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That's what I thought, but I saw it once in a grammar book for BrE .... So is there any chance that it might actually be correct?

I'm no expert on British use of the subjunctive. Perhaps a BrE speaker can comment.
 

Raymott

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That's what I thought, but I saw it once in a grammar book for BrE .... So is there any chance that it might actually be correct?
Yes, it's correct in a weird context. You all wake up with amnesia from drinking too heavily last night. You all try to remember what you did. Someone suggested that you planned a coup, you suggested that you organised a campaign. That's the correct, if very uncommon, usage of the past tense here. If you can't handle the subjunctive, you can say, "I suggested that we should organise a campaign".
Also, grammar books are often full of examples of what not to do. The sentences are generally preceded by a *. So you may have seen it as an example of an incorrect sentence.
 

Matthew Wai

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Someone suggested that you planned a coup, you suggested that you organised a campaign.
Do you mean it will be correct only if "you" do not remember such suggestions were made"?
 

Barb_D

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No, it's correct only if you don't remember organizing the party and are guessing (making suggestions) about what you did.
 
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