Verb Mood
The mode or manner in which a Verb is used is called its Mood.
There are three Moods in English: Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive.
The Indicative Mood:
Indicative Mood makes a statement or asks a question.
Examples:
- Mr. Joe Biden has become the 46th President of America.
- The company has offered him a lucrative package.
- When did you buy a new car?
- Where are you going now?
The Imperative Mood:
The Imperative Mood expresses a command, a request, or a supposition. The subject “you” is generally understood.
Examples:
- Stand there.
- Open your textbook.
- Drive your car slowly.
- Send the emails immediately.
- Please, give me a pen.
- Let me speak to you.
- Let him go there.
- Give me one lakh. I shall make it one crore. (supposition)
The Subjunctive Mood:
The Subjunctive Mood is used:
To express a wish or desire:
Examples:
- God bless you!
- God save our leader!
- Heaven help us!
- God be with you!
- I wish I would keep the dinosaur as my pet.
- I wish I were with my friends now.
- I wish she would help us.
- He wishes he were the owner of the company.
- My friend wishes this belonged to him.
To express improbable or unreal situations in the present:
Examples:
- If I were you, I would not do that.
- If he were younger, he would join the Army.
- If she were the owner of this company, she would help you.
- If we took his help, we would be in a better position.
After as if /as though:
Examples:
- She speaks as if she knew everything. ( but she doesn’t know)
- He talks as though he were the owner of the company. ( but he is not)
After it is time + subject: (to indicate that it is late)
Examples:
- It is time we started.
- It is time they finished their work.
Related Reads:
- Action, Stative, and Linking Verbs
- Regular and Irregular Verbs
- Semi-Modal Auxiliary Verbs
- Modal Auxiliary Verbs
- Primary Auxiliary Verbs