English Grammar

we fostered or we foster

Sunny19

User since 2008
Posts: 121

22 Feb. 2009

"It's time we fostered a sense of team spirit"

I'm unsure why GYmglish doesn't propose: It's time we foster a sense of team spirit.
Is it a matter of sequence of tenses or of modality?
And how could we express the difference in meaning if both of them work?

4 comments

AhQ ['a: kiu]
User since 2006
Posts: 2715
22 Feb. 2009

It's time you came and saw us, dear Loisl19.
It's high time you spoke.
It's about time we grabbed a drink.

It's time (that) something happened.
"It's time" always calls for a subjunctive preterit in the dependent clause.

The same goes with
if (I would sing a song, if I were you.)
wish (I wish the song delighted me.)
would rather (I would rather you sang and were happy.)

Now it's about time I got going. I wish you quite agreed. Do you?
It's time you came and saw us, dear Loisl19. It's high time you spoke. It's about time we grabbed a drink. It's time (that) something happened. "It's time" always calls for a subjunctive preterit in the dependent clause. The same goes with if (I would sing a song, if I were you.) wish (I wish the song delighted me.) would rather (I would rather you sang and were happy.) Now it's about time I got going. I wish you quite agreed. Do you?
AhQ ['a: kiu]
User since 2006
Posts: 2715
22 Feb. 2009

Far be it from me to impose my own ideas. As a matter of fact, that are not my own ideas but what I learned from the GG.
The subjunctive present may not be used after "it's time". But you might say:
Someone had suggested that we foster a sense of team spirit.
Would you ask that we foster a touch of good spirits?
It's essential that foster a bit of high spirits.
Who wouldn't prefer that we foster a sense of mutual aid?
Yeah! It's about time we fostered that sense of mutual aid.
Far be it from me to impose my own ideas. As a matter of fact, that are not my own ideas but what I learned from the GG. The subjunctive present may not be used after "it's time". But you might say: Someone had suggested that we foster a sense of team spirit. Would you ask that we foster a touch of good spirits? It's essential that foster a bit of high spirits. Who wouldn't prefer that we foster a sense of mutual aid? Yeah! It's about time we fostered that sense of mutual aid.
Fugendichter
User since 2008
Posts: 588
26 Feb. 2009

Dear Loisl 19 and Gee,

concerning your very interesting subject I didn't find anything in my school grammar.
But in the "English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy, unit 35, I found an article about "had better" and "it's time".

quote: It's time to go home.
or: It's late. It's time we went home.
(Here we use the past but the meaning is present or future)
What makes the criticism stronger:
It's about time, it's high time he did something.
Dear Loisl 19 and Gee, concerning your very interesting subject I didn't find anything in my school grammar. But in the "English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy, unit 35, I found an article about "had better" and "it's time". quote: It's time to go home. or: It's late. It's time we went home. (Here we use the past but the meaning is present or future) What makes the criticism stronger: It's about time, it's high time he did something.
AhQ ['a: kiu]
User since 2006
Posts: 2715
26 Feb. 2009

Hugs and pogs to you, Gwendo.
It's high time we had.
Hugs and pogs to you, Gwendo. It's high time we had.

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