The subjunctive is not a tense like the past simple or the present perfect. It’s a mood.

What is the subjunctive mood?

The subjunctive mood expresses an unreal situation. It expresses a possibility, a suggestion, a wish,
something imaginary, or the way that you want something to be.

The subjunctive mood is very rare in English. It’s OK if, at this point in the lesson, you still don’t
understand mood. It’s not important.

What’s important is knowing when to use the subjunctive mood.

1. Use the subjunctive in a that-clause after verbs of suggestion or advice.

Her mom suggested that she get a job.

Her father demanded that she turn off the TV.

Her hairstylist recommended that she stop dying her hair.

We insist that he call us as soon as he gets home.

Verbs of advice or suggestion:

advise
ask
demand
insist
prefer
propose
recommend
request
suggest
urge

2. Use a special subjunctive form of the verb be after if in the second conditional sentence
structure.
“If I were you, I would wear something else.”

3. Use a special subjunctive form of the verb be in that-clause after the verb wish.
“I wish I were a princess.“

4. Use the subjunctive in a that-clause after adjectives of importance in a specific sentence

structure
“It is crucial that he call me as soon as he gets home.”
Other adjectives of importance:
It is best (that)
It is crucial (that)
It is desirable (that)
It is essential (that)
It is imperative (that)
It is important (that)
It is recommended (that)
It is urgent (that)
It is vital (that)
It is necessary (that)
5. The subjunctive is also used in some fixed expressions.
so be it
be that as it may
as it were
God save the Queen
Long live the King
God bless America
Heaven forbid

What is the subjunctive form?

The subjunctive form is just the base form of a verb. The base form, or the bare infinitive, is the
simplest form of a verb. It’s the way that you find a verb in the dictionary. Run. Play. Walk. Do. It’s
the infinitive form of a verb without to.

To form the subjunctive, do not add an -s to the verb when you use the subjects he, she, or it. The
subjunctive form does not change.

Also, the same base form is used in past, present and future situations. The verb does not change in
the subjunctive.
In these sentences with the verb suggest, the verb in the that-clause is in the subjunctive. Note that the
verb in the that-clause stays the same even though the tense of the verb suggest is different in each
sentence:
He suggests that she study hard.
He suggested that she study hard.

He is going to suggest that she study hard.

More example sentences:

I suggested that he be Harry Potter for Halloween!

I insist that she stay at my house when she visits Toronto.

The boss proposed that he take a 3-week vacation.

Negative subjunctive form

Add not before the verb to make the subjunctive negative. Don’t use do.

I suggest that she not go out tonight.

We ask that she not call after 9pm.

We insisted that he not pay for anything.