Subjunctive I is used to express:

wishes, desires (slogans)

Success attend you! Be yours a happy choice! Long live …!
in the structure with far it be from ( вообще не, ни малейшего желания) to show your
reluctance/ unwillingness to do smth:
Far it be from me to interfere. Far it be from him to prosecute you!
your emotions:
Confound it! Confound your news! Hang your ideas!
in special questions to express your emotions (зачем, почему бы):
Why talk so loudly? Why not see for yourself?
in compromise and concession:
Be it so! Be it as you wish! Come what will.
in poems in unreal conditions:
For every evil under the sun От любой невзгоды в этом мире
There is remedy or there is none. Либо есть средство, либо его нет.
If there be one, try to find it; Если оно есть, постарайся его найти,
If there be none – never mind it. Если ж его нет, ну, что ж, не беда.

Subjunctive II is used:
in exclamatory sentences, beginning with if; if only; oh, if; if, that and express your wishes
or regrets:
If she were here! If only he were a bit wiser! Oh, if I had such a friend!
Oh, that you had trusted me then! If only I had taken your advice!
in questions, beginning with what if, to express doubtful suggestions:
What if he never came to? What if the boy had been kidnapped?
in the structure as it were, that is served as a parenthesis:
He isn’t of our kind, as it were.
in structures: had better/ best/ rather/ sooner + Bare Infinitive, expressed advice, wishes,
intentions, etc.:
You had better see the doctor at once. She had rather not see them now.
We had sooner not interfere.

Subjunctive III is used:

in rhetorical questions, expressing emotional attitude of the speaker to the action (regret,
surprise, disappointment, reproof) (откуда, с чего это, чего ради):
How should I know? Why should he be hanging about here? Why should you help them?
to express the action that is unlikely or improbable to happen in the future. The
expressions are translated as: случись так, что; если уже вдруг; если все-таки; в случае,
если все-таки.
If he should desert her after all she has done for him, everybody would call him a scoundrel.
If you should want to see me tonight, ring me up.
If he should ever return to these parts, we shall be happy to receive him.

Subjunctive IV is used:
in phrases should/ would like; should/ would hope; should/ would think; should/ would
advise, etc. + Infinitive to express mild wishes, offers:
I should like to see you alone. I should like you never to mention the fact.
I would advise him to think the matter over.
Sometimes the object is used in the form of a subordinate clause. Such sentences are
frequently used in informal speech.
I should think you are right. I would say he is going with the tide.
to express the proposition of the unreal condition:
In your place I should do nothing now. But for the rain they should be here now.
To have done all properly would have saved a lot of time.

Should in that-clauses

We can sometimes report advice, orders, requests, suggestions, etc. about things that need to be
done or are desirable using a that-clause with should + bare infinitive:
• They have proposed that Jim should move to their London office.
• Alice thinks that we should avoid driving through the centre of town.
• I suggested that Mr Clarke should begin to look for another job.
• It has been agreed that the company should not raise its prices.

After should we often use be + past participle or be + adjective:

• They directed that the building should be pulled down.
• The report recommends that the land should not be sold.
• We urged that the students should be told immediately.
• We insist that the money should be available to all students in financial difficulties.

In formal contexts, particularly in written English, we can often leave out should but keep the
infinitive. An infinitive used in this way is sometimes called the subjunctive.
• They directed that the building be pulled down.
• We insist that the money be available to all students in financial difficulties.
• It was agreed that the company not raise its prices.

In less formal contexts we can use ordinary tenses instead of the subjunctive. Compare:
• They recommended that he should give up writing.
• They recommended that he give up writing. (more formal)
• They recommended that he gives up writing. (less formal)
Notice also:
• They recommended that he gave up writing. (= he gave it up)

Other verbs that are used in a reporting clause before a that-clause with should or the
subjunctive include advise, ask, beg, command, demand, instruct, intend, order, request,
require, stipulate, warn. Notice that we can also use that-clauses with should after reporting
clauses with nouns related to these verbs:
• The police gave an order that all weapons (should) be handed in immediately.
• The weather forecast gave a warning that people (should) be prepared for heavy snow.

We can use should in a that-clause when we talk about our own reaction to something we are
reporting, particularly after be + adjective (e.g. amazed, anxious, concerned, disappointed,
surprised, upset):
• I am concerned that she should think I stole the money. or
• I am concerned that she thinks I stole the money. (not ...that she think I stole...)
Notice that when we leave out should in sentences like this we use an ordinary tense, not an
infinitive. There is usually very little difference in meaning between sentences like this with and
without should. We leave out should in less formal contexts.

We can also use should or sometimes the subjunctive in a that-clause after it + be + adjective
such as crucial, essential, imperative, important, (in)appropriate, (un)necessary, vital:
• It is inappropriate they (should) be given the award again. (or ...they are given...)
• It is important that she (should) understand what her decision means. (or ...she
understands...)

Practice

During an enquiry into the redevelopment of an old part of a city, the following things were said
which became recommendations in the final report. Write the recommendations, using a that-
clause with should.
1 'There will need to be a redevelopment of the railway station.' - We recommend that the
railway station should be redeveloped.
2 'The project will have to be allocated public funds. Probably $10 million.' - We suggest that...
3 'I'd like to see a pedestrian precinct established.'
4 'The redevelopment must be completed within five years.'
5 'We want a committee to be set up to monitor progress.'

Expand these notes to report these suggestions, requests, advice, etc. Add one of the following
words where ... is written. In most cases, more than one word is possible, but use each word only
once. Use a that-clause with should in your report.
amazed anxious contended demanded disappointed
proposed stipulates suggested surprised

1 The law ... / new cars / fitted with seatbelts. The law stipulates that new cars should be fitted
with seatbelts.
2 I am ... / anyone / object to the proposal. I am amazed that anyone should object to the
proposal.
3 I... to Paul / work in industry before starting university.
4 She ... / people / allowed to vote at the age of 16.
5 I am ... / she / feel annoyed.
6 We ... / the money / returned to the investors.
7 I am... / she / want to leave so early.
8 The chairperson... / Carrington / become a non-voting member of the committee.
9 I was... / Susan / involved in the decision.