Guide to the Subjunctive in English – TOEIC® Preparation

The subjunctive is used to express a desire, an injunction, a suggestion, a recommendation, an obligation, or even an unreal situation (especially in hypothetical contexts). In French, this grammatical form appears after verbs such as "exiger que" (to demand that), "recommander que" (to recommend that), etc. Here are some examples of the subjunctive in both languages:

• Il faut qu'il apprenne davantage : It is necessary that he learn more.
• Je demande qu'elle arrive ponctuellement : I demand that she arrive on time.

In English, the subjunctive appears less frequently than in French. Nevertheless, we distinguish two main categories:

• The present subjunctive (also called the "mandative subjunctive")
• The past subjunctive, which is mainly characterized by the use of "were" instead of "was" in certain structures.

1. The Present Subjunctive in English

The present subjunctive (or mandative subjunctive) is generally used after certain verbs or phrases expressing:

• A necessity or a requirement:
  • to demand that... (exiger que...)
  • to insist that... (insister pour que...)
  • to require that... (requérir que...)
  • to request that... (demander que...)
• Advice or a suggestion:
  • to suggest that... (suggérer que...)
  • to recommend that... (recommander que...)
  • to advise that... (conseiller que...)
• An importance or an urgency:
  • it is crucial that... (il est crucial que...)
  • it is necessary that... (il est nécessaire que...)
  • it is imperative that... (il est impératif que...)

Construction of the Present Subjunctive

To construct the present subjunctive in English, we use "that", followed by the base form of the verb (the infinitive without "to") without adding "-s" for the third person singular.

• ✅ The manager insists that he arrive early. (Le directeur insiste pour qu'il arrive tôt.)❌ The manager insists that he arrives early.
• ✅ It is essential that she understand the instructions. (Il est essentiel qu'elle comprenne les consignes.)❌ It is essential that she understands the instructions.
• We recommend that everyone attend the meeting.(Nous recommandons que tout le monde assiste à la réunion.)

Alternative with "should" in the Present Subjunctive

In contemporary English, it is also acceptable to use the auxiliary verb "should" to express the present subjunctive. However, the pure form remains preferable in a formal register and for the TOEIC®.

2. The Past Subjunctive in English

In English, the past subjunctive is mainly used to refer to imaginary situations, hypotheses, or regrets. Its main characteristic is the use of were (rather than "was") with the verb to be.

To construct the past subjunctive, was is replaced by were (for all persons: I, you, he, she, it, we, they) when expressing an unreal condition or an unfulfilled wish.

• To express a wish or regret (after "I wish" or "If only")
  • I wish he were more confident.

(J'aimerais qu'il soit plus confiant.)

• If only they were available today.(Si seulement ils étaient disponibles aujourd'hui.)
• For hypothetical conditions (second conditional):
  • If she were the CEO, she would change the policy.

(Si elle était PDG, elle changerait la politique.)

• If we were in London, we would visit the British Museum.(Si nous étions à Londres, nous visiterions le British Museum.)
• If I were you, I would accept the offer.(Si j'étais toi, j'accepterais l'offre.)
• If they were more organized, the project would succeed.(S'ils étaient plus organisés, le projet réussirait.)

In informal conversations, one increasingly hears "If I was rich" or "I wish he was here." Nevertheless, in an academic context or during the TOEIC®, "If I were rich" remains the grammatically correct and expected form.

Summary: Mastering the Subjunctive for the TOEIC®

The subjunctive in English may seem less obvious than in French, but it is a fundamental grammatical element for expressing hypothesis, desire, obligation, or recommendation.

To summarize:

• Present Subjunctive: use of the pure base form, without "-s" in the third person singular, after verbs or expressions indicating a requirement, a suggestion, or a necessity.
  • The director insists that she complete the training.

(Le directeur insiste pour qu'elle termine la formation.)

• Past Subjunctive: mainly "were" instead of "was" in hypothetical sentences or those expressing wishes.
  • If I were in charge, I would handle this differently.

(Si j'étais responsable, je gérerais cela différemment.)

Although some modern forms tend to simplify these structures, mastering them remains essential, especially in a professional context or to succeed in the TOEIC®.

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