Subjunctive Mood Hypothetical Examples: Downloadable Cheat Sheet for ESL Students

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🌍 The subjunctive mood expresses hypothetical, uncertain, or desired situations. It's often used after verbs like 'suggest,' 'demand,' 'insist,' 'recommend,' and 'request.'
• 🔑 The basic structure for hypothetical situations is: If + Simple Past, would/could/might + base form of the verb. For example: If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
• ⏰ For past hypothetical situations, the structure is: If + Past Perfect, would/could/might + have + past participle. For example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.
• ✏️ The verb 'to be' takes the form 'were' for all persons in hypothetical clauses (formal). Example: If I were you, I would take a break.
• 💡 Remember that the 'if' clause can come before or after the main clause. When the 'if' clause comes second, you don't need a comma.

Practice Quiz

1. Which sentence correctly uses the subjunctive mood to express a hypothetical situation?
   1. If I was rich, I would buy a yacht.
   2. If I were rich, I will buy a yacht.
   3. If I am rich, I would buy a yacht.
   4. If I were rich, I would buy a yacht.
2. Choose the sentence that uses the correct structure for a past hypothetical situation.
   1. If I had known, I would tell you.
   2. If I knew, I would have told you.
   3. If I had known, I would have told you.
   4. If I would have known, I had told you.
3. Which sentence demonstrates the correct use of 'were' in a hypothetical clause?
   1. If he was taller, he could reach the shelf.
   2. If he were taller, he can reach the shelf.
   3. If he were taller, he could reach the shelf.
   4. If he is taller, he could reach the shelf.
4. Complete the sentence: If she ______ harder, she would have succeeded.
   1. studies
   2. studied
   3. had studied
   4. would study
5. Which of the following sentences is in the subjunctive mood?
   1. I suggest that he goes home.
   2. I suggest that he go home.
   3. I suggest that he went home.
   4. I suggested that he goes home.
6. Choose the correct hypothetical sentence:
   1. If it will rain, we will stay inside.
   2. If it rains, we would stay inside.
   3. If it rained, we would stay inside.
   4. If it would rain, we stayed inside.
7. Which sentence correctly uses the subjunctive after a verb of demand?
   1. I demand that he is on time.
   2. I demand that he be on time.
   3. I demand that he was on time.
   4. I demanded that he is on time.