English Grammar

Subjunctive Present versus Past

Fugendichter

User since 2008
Posts: 588

13 Dec. 2008

"It's time he pay (or he paid) attention to his appearance and spend (or spent) less time chasing women."

To me the expression "it's time" concerns the present tense, but my subjunctive present has been corrected into subjunctive past.
Are there some rules to learn?

3 comments

Fugendichter
User since 2008
Posts: 588
13 Dec. 2008

"It's time he pay (or he paid) attention to his appearance and spend (or spent) less time chasing women."

To me the expression "it's time" concerns the present tense, but my subjunctive present has been corrected into subjunctive past.
Are there some rules to learn?
"It's time he pay (or he paid) attention to his appearance and spend (or spent) less time chasing women." To me the expression "it's time" concerns the present tense, but my subjunctive present has been corrected into subjunctive past. Are there some rules to learn?
NorrmanBates
User since 2008
Posts: 1
22 Dec. 2008

There are only few verbs followed by the subjunctive present tense (inf. without "to" ) in English.
E.g.:
I ask everyone be on time.
I prefer you go alone.
I suggest you learn your grammar.
Be that as it may.

The phrase "it's (about) time" is generally followed by the subjunctive preterit as Gee wrote above.
There are only few verbs followed by the subjunctive present tense (inf. without "to" ) in English. E.g.: I ask everyone be on time. I prefer you go alone. I suggest you learn your grammar. Be that as it may. The phrase "it's (about) time" is generally followed by the subjunctive preterit as Gee wrote above.
AhQ ['a: kiu]
User since 2006
Posts: 2715
13 Dec. 2008

My own native language which not the same as yours would use the subjunctive present in such case. But languages use to be crazy by some strange quirks.
Here is what I know about the issue; I wonder whether I didn't pick it up in my GG workbook.

In English the subjunctive preterit - preterit modal - doesn't refer to the past but to modality, i.e. unreal, hypothetical, imaginary facts.
It is to be used:

1. after IF (hypothesis)
If you came, I'd welcome you.
If only you were here, Gwendo, I'd meet with you.

2. after I'D RATHER (wish)
I'd rather you came.

3. after WISH
She wishes I were shorter.

4. after IT'S TIME (yet unreal fact)
It's high time I told you my thought.
It's about time the bus came.
It's time Philip spent less time chasing women.
My own native language which not the same as yours would use the subjunctive present in such case. But languages use to be crazy by some strange quirks. Here is what I know about the issue; I wonder whether I didn't pick it up in my GG workbook. In English the subjunctive preterit - preterit modal - doesn't refer to the past but to modality, i.e. unreal, hypothetical, imaginary facts. It is to be used: 1. after IF (hypothesis) If you came, I'd welcome you. If only you were here, Gwendo, I'd meet with you. 2. after I'D RATHER (wish) I'd rather you came. 3. after WISH She wishes I were shorter. 4. after IT'S TIME (yet unreal fact) It's high time I told you my thought. It's about time the bus came. It's time Philip spent less time chasing women.

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