[Grammar] The verb "suggest"

[aggigar]

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

 

[Raymott]

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

 

[Matthew Wai]

Is "organize" the present subjunctive here?

 

[Raymott]

Is "organize" the present subjunctive here?

Indeed it is.
http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/subjunctive.html

 

[Matthew Wai]

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

 

[SoothingDave]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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