The Synthetical Moods

Mood

Mood is the form of the verb which shows in what relation to reality the speaker places the action or state expressed by the predicate verb.

Thus the category of mood expresses modality.

Modality is the relation of the action or state expressed by the predicate to reality as it is regarded by the speaker.

There are the following moods in English: the direct moods- the indicative and the imperative; the oblique moods- subjunctive one, subjunctive two, the suppositional and the conditional.

The Indicative Mood

The indicative mood shows that the speaker considers the action or state denoted by the predicate as an actual fact and affirms or negates its existence in the present, past or future.

Ex.: I shall act and I shall act promptly. (Maugham)

The Imperative Mood

In the imperative mood the speaker urges the person addressed to fulfil an action. This may be expressed in the form of a command, a request, a warning, etc.

The imperative mood has only one simple form for the second person singular and plural, and is the plain present tense stem or common stem of the verb.

Ex.: “Go and fetch him.”(Maugham)

In the 1st and 3rd person the combination let+ infinitive, an equivalent of the imperative, is used.

Ex.: “Let me go in and see him alone” (Maugham)

The subject of an imperative is seldom expressed unless it is emphatic. In OE the pronoun-subject was generally placed after the verb.

Ex.: “Mind you, this is your last chance.”(Galsworthy)

In ME it is placed before the verb in the usual place of the subject.

Ex.: “You keep this copy. I don’t want it.”(Gordon)

The negative imperative is formed by means of the auxiliary to do even if we have the verb to be which in the indicative mood does not require that auxiliary.

Ex.: “Don’t cut yourself.” (Aldridge)

The emphatic imperative is formed by means of the auxiliary to do even if we have the verb to be which in the indicative mood does not require that auxiliary.

Ex.: “Do sit down.”(Galsworthy)

‘Will you?’ very often follows the imperative. In such imperative sentences the order becomes modified by the addition of ‘will you?’ into a kind of request.

Ex.: “Turn to the right here, will you?”(Braine)

The Oblique Moods

The function of the oblique moods is to represent something in the speaker’s mind not as a real fact, but as a wish, purpose, supposition, doubt or condition, problematic or contrary to fact. When the speaker expresses his wish by using one of the oblique moods, he merely communicates to the hearer what he considers desirable.

Ex.: I wish you were quiet. –Here I merely inform the hearer of what I consider desirable, indicating at the same time that my wish contradicts the actual state of things.

There are four oblique moods in ME, of which two are synthetical and two analytical.

The synthetical moods are: subjunctive one and subjunctive two.

The analytical moods are: the conditional and the suppositional.

The Synthetical Moods

Subjunctive one and subjunctive two

Historically the forms (he be- he were, he have- he had), were tense forms of one mood- the old subjunctive. But in the course of time their meaning has changed, they no longer indicate distinction of time but express modality.

The form (he be) is used with reference to any time indicating supposition or uncertainty.

Ex.: It is strange that he be late.

The form (he were) is often used with regard to the present indicating unreality.

Ex.: If I were at home, he would see her.

Taking into consideration this historical change of meaning we consider it advisable to regard these two forms as two distinct moods.

subjunctive one and subjunctive two do not only express different modality but also differ in style.

subjunctive one is rather obsolete form in ME; it may be found in poetry, high prose and official documents(treaties, resolutions).

Ex.: Be his banner unconquered, resistless his spear. (Scott)

But in the USA subjunctive one is still in use.

Ex.: Ruth had urged that he take a clerk’s position in an office. (London)

Subjunctive two is a living form which is used in colloquial speech and literary style as well.

Ex.: “If I were you,” she said, “I should not worry.” (Harraden)

Subjunctive one

Subjunctive one represents an action as problematic, but not as contradicting reality. It is used to express order, request, suggestion, supposition, purpose.

Ex.: If the weather be fine to-morrow, we shall go to the country.

Subjunctive one has also optative meaning

Ex.: Success attend you!(Sheridan)

Subjunctive one has no tenses, the same form being used for the present, past and future.

Ex.: He orders (ordered) that we be present.

To be	To have	To speak
I be He be We be You be They be	I have He have We have You have They have	I speak He speak We speak You speak They speak

In ME subjunctive one is rapidly falling into disuse.

The colloquial subjunctive one is usually replaced either by the suppositional mood or by free combinations of modal verbs with the infinitive.

Ex.: He ordered that we should be present. (the suppositional mood)

Subjunctive two

Subjunctive two represents an action as contrary to reality.

Ex.: I wish he were with us.

Subjunctive two has two tenses: the present and the past. The forms of the present

Subjunctive two do not differ from the forms of the past indicative. The only exception is the verb to be in which some forms of the present subjunctive differ from the forms of the past indicative.

The past subjunctive two is homonymous with the past perfect indicative in all verbs.

(to be)

Present	Past
I were (was) He were (was) We were You were They wee	I had been He had been We had been You had been They had been

The Common Aspect

(to speak)

Present	Past
I spoke He spoke We spoke You spoke They spoke	I had spoken He had spoken We had spoken You had spoken They had spoken

The Continuous Aspect

(to speak)

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