SUBJUNCTIVE Exercises

I. Insert the right form of the verb; specify its mood and tense:
1. They were looking down on her as if she (be) their colleague.
2. They didnt hire John, although he (graduate) long before me.
3. Mark would never help his wife even though he (have) time.
4. You (answer) the phone, you would have found out the news.
5. Wed love to join you on your trip tomorrow! If only it (rain)!
6. Grandma wishes she (love) more by her husband. Unfortunately he died young.
7. The soldier wished he (take part) into another war. The second was terrifying!
8. All graduates should bring a photo unless they (bring) one already at the beginning of the semester.
9. The baby (sleep) so tight now unless he (drink) a bottle of milk after bath.
10. Hed rather his neighbors (see) him kissing that girl.
II. Fill in the blanks with one suitable word or phrase:
1. Hed rather ______ in the act by the police.
2. I wish my parents _______ by our headmaster about my poor results this semester.
3. If only you _______ me good luck before leaving. I would have got that job for sure!
4. Its _______ your mind about that!
5. ______ to me, I would have found out about it sooner or later.
6. Mark behaves as if he _______ on his wife.
7. Your cousin was eating as if he ______ a bite since the war.
8. The priest would rather the burglar ________ to him about stealing that car.
9. Imagine we ________ with it! We would have been lying in the son in Bahamas instead of lying behind bars
all day long for the rest of our lives.
10. The landlord wished he _______ them up. They were such a nuisance!
III. Match 1-10 with a-h and specify the type of conditional clause used
1. Mary would be dancing here now
2. John would have solved the whole exercise
3. Mother would be cooking now
4. But for the thick fog
5. Were you to lose weight
6. Had you spread the seeds in autumn
7. Steve wouldnt be able to interpret those ads
8. Should you meet an alien
9. But for the soup
10. Do not climb the stairs
a. now you would have been feeling the fragrance.
b. the plane wouldnt have been diverted.
c. if she had felt better.
d. unless he had attended that course.
e. her skin would get dry.
f. if the earthquake has begun!
g. if the blackboard had been clean.
h. unless the boss called her in his office.
i. you would feel more comfortable.
j. do not pretend to be smarter than him!
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IV. Fill in the blanks with one suitable word or phrase:

1. The committees decision was that our company _______ over by an American Investment Fund.
2. Its unbelievable that this carpet ______ by a blind lady.
3. The Bartons locked all doors and windows ________ in.
4. The captain ordered that all flags _________ upon the presidents arrival.
5. She requested another audience for fear she ______. Fortunately the manager had never thought of giving up
on her.
6. Its impossible that Susan _______ for David. She isnt qualified as an accountant.
7. Thats a wonderful love story! Its a pity they _______ up in the end.
8. Its annoying that your neighbors _______ loud music for so long!
9. They were driving fast ________ miss the plane.
10. The headmistress suggested that she _______ up to by all staff.
V. Identify the phrases that require the use of the verb in the Subjunctive Mood. Then choose the most
appropriate form of the verb and specify the type and tense of the Subjunctive.
1. We were afraid grandpa ________ fall ill.
a. should c. shall
b. will d. might
2. She crossed the street lest her aunt __________ see her.
a. should c. wouldnt
b. didnt d. may
3. Its time the thieves _____ a mistake.
a. have made c. should make
b. made d. make
4. We put the milk on the shelf, for fear the cat ____ at it.
a. got c. had got
b. might get d. would get
5. Mary began to wish she _______ .
a. not to come c. shouldnt come
b. didnt came d. hadnt come
6. The chairman suggested that the question _______ in the agenda.
a. were included c. be included
b. should include d. had included
7. Her friends recommended that she _____ harder.
a. worked c. works
b. work d. has worked
8. Even if you ______ him well, you ________ him, as he has changed so much.
a. should know, dont recognize c. knew, wouldnt recognize
b. know, wont have recognized d. have known, will be recognizing
9. If only we _______ as we were told! This _______ never.
a. had done, would have happened
b. were doing, will happen
c. do, will have happened
d. did, wouldnt happen
10. Pcat c nu ai citit cartea.
a. Its a pity you havent read the book.
b. You wish you read the book.
c. Its a pity that you shouldnt read the book.
d. Id rather you read the book.
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VI. Provide the most appropriate form of the verb:

1. But for Mr Johnsons lectures we (hire).
2. The audience thought it unlikely that anyone else (preach) better than Father Terrence.
3. I insist that I (tell) all good news and bad news.
4. The teacher urged all students (read) the novel beforehand lest she (speak) all by herself at the next seminar.
5. We (find) the vase broken unless the cat (jump) in through the open window.
6. If only he (pay) more attention to his manager! He (make) redundant!
7. Congratulations on your birthday! I wish all your dreams (come) true!
8. No matter how high the mountain (be), Creig would climb it to the top.
9. I think she looks trendy whatever she (wear) right now.
10. What (come), lets go for it!
VII. Choose the most appropriate form of the verb and specify the type and tense of the Subjunctive.
1. Pcat c nu mi-am cerut scuze.
a. Its a pity I hadnt apologized.
b. I wish I had apologized.
c. I wish I apologized.
d. Its a pity that I should have apologized.
2. Este necesar s se fac o investigaie.
a. An investigation needs making.
b. Its necessary for an investigation to make.
c. An investigation is necessary to make.
d. It is necessary that an investigation should be made.
3. Mcar de n-ai fi fost aa de ocupat zilele acestea.
a. I wish you werent so busy these days.
b. If only you hadnt been so busy these days.
c. You wish you shouldnt be so busy these days.
d. If only you havent been so busy these days.
4. She is so stubborn. If only she _________ a mistake!
a. wouldnt make c. shouldnt make
b. didnt make d. doesnt make
5. A fi preferat s nu i se fi spus vetile.
a. Youd better not be told the news.
b. Id rather you werent told the news.
c. Id better you havent told the news.
d. Id rather you hadnt been told the news.
6. He is smiling as if he ______ what I ________ .
a. didnt believe, am saying c. shouldnt believe, say
b. hadnt believed, was saying d. doesnt believe, said
7. The defence insisted that some more witnesses ____ .
a. were heard c. should be heared
b. to be heared d. on hearing
8. Copiii fugir care ncotro ca s nu-i prind vecinul.
a. The children dashed away so that the neighbour shouldnt catch them.
b. The children ran away lest the neighbour caught them.
c. The children ran away so as not to catch the neighbour.
d. The children dashed away for not to be caught by the neighbour.
9. Ann would rather her sons ______ a job than _______ to college.
a. took, went c. take, go
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b. should take, go d. will take, will go

10. However cold it ____ be, he ________ a hat.
a. may, can wear c. may, had worn
b. might, has worn d. might, would wear
VIII. Explain the difference in meaning and structure, if any, between the following pairs of sentences:
1.a. Had we known that you wouldnt come, we wouldnt have waited for you for so long.
1.b. Hardly had we known that you wouldnt come when we stopped waiting for you.
2.a. Should Mary call you, tell her weve just left.
2.b. If Mary calls you, tell her weve just left.
3.a. Try as he might, he wont get his driving license back.
3.b. No matter how hard he might try, he wont get his driving license back.
4.a. Were you to pass all your exams, we would throw a party!
4.b. If you passed all your exams, we would throw a party!
5.a. Its odd that he get drunk at his daughters wedding.
5.b. Its odd that he should get drunk at his daughters wedding.
6.a. We cant take part in this competition lest we should make a fool of ourselves.
6.b. We cant take part in this competition so that we shouldnt make a fool of ourselves.
7.a. I insist that my employees should obey the companys rules.
7.b. I insist on my employees obeying the companys rules.
8.a. I wish you told us the truth.
8.b. I wish you would tell us the truth.
9.a. Id rather muse than speak aloud.
9.b. Id rather he mused than spoke aloud.
10.a. If only our luggage had reached the destination!
10. b. Unless our luggage had reached the destination, we would still be claiming it now.
IX. True or false?
1. The Subjunctive is evaluative, while the Indicative is informative.
2. Only the Analytical Subjunctive is used in concessive clauses.
3. COULD and WOULD used in the Subjunctive preserve their modal values.
4. The Analytical Subjunctive can take the form SHOULD + perfect infinitive.
5. The Subjunctive never expresses an action in progress.
6. The Analytical Subjunctive forms can sometimes be replaced with Gerundial patterns.
7. IF ONLY and UNLESS require either the Present Subjunctive or the Perfect Subjunctive.
8. All types of conditional clauses can be marked by inversion.
9. The Subjunctive is used in temporal, conditional, concessive and purpose clauses.
10. The Old Subjunctive is identical in form with the bare infinitive.

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