5-Minute English Grammar Review: The Subjunctive Mood is a World Apart from Reality
When studying English, the "subjunctive mood" is something everyone trips over.
Even though you should have learned it in school, when you read it again as an adult, you might wonder:
"Why is it in the past tense if it means 'if'?
"Why use the past tense when talking about the present?"
Have you ever felt that kind of confusion?
Actually, the subjunctive mood is not about "time."
It is a "grammar for depicting a world different from reality."
Once you understand this "worldview,"
If I were you…
If it were sunny…
If I had more time…
Such expressions will suddenly make sense to you.
In this article, I have carefully summarized the following for adult English learners in an easy-to-understand way:
⚫︎ The real reason why the subjunctive mood uses the "past tense"
⚫︎ The "English sense" you can't notice in Japanese
⚫︎ Illustrated explanations you can understand at a glance
⚫︎ Output exercises you can use starting today
Even if you are not good at the subjunctive mood, this content will definitely lead to an "Aha!" moment.
From here on, I will explain in detail in the paid section.
Your "English world" should deepen by another level.
The Subjunctive Mood is a World "Apart from Reality"
The subjunctive mood is a grammar used to talk about a "world different from reality".
In other words, it's like having a conversation in a place slightly removed from the "real time" we live in now.
Therefore, when talking about something that is different from the current fact,when talking about something different from current facts, you need to "distance the tense from reality = use the past tense."
The Subjunctive Past is a sign that "this is different from current reality"
The form is very simple.
If + subject + past tense, subject' + would / could + base form of verb
If it were fine today, I could go camping.
(If the weather were nice today... I could go camping.)
Here,
Actual weather: Rain
What is being talked about: A "hypothetical world" where it is sunny
→ Use the "past tense" because it is different from reality, this is the rule of the subjunctive past.
On the other hand, what about talking about a "reality" that is likely to happen?
"If it's sunny tomorrow, I might be able to go."
In other words, a story with a real possibility.
In this case, you don't go to the world of the subjunctive mood.
If + present tense, subject' + will + base form of verb
Example) While looking at the weather forecast:
If it’s fine tomorrow, I will go camping.
(If it is sunny tomorrow, I will go camping.)
Japanese judges by "if," but what about English?
In Japanese, we judge whether it is "hypothetical?" or "realistic?" using words like "if," "today," or "tomorrow."
But English is different.
In English, "
tense" is everything.Whether it is past tense or present tense, that alone changes the meaning.
This is one of the reasons why Japanese people find English difficult.
Now, let's practice!
Using the subjunctive past, please leave one English sentence in the comments that expresses "something different from current reality."
Example:
If I had more free time, I would study English every day.
(If I had more free time, I would study English every day.)
Thank you for reading. I look forward to everyone's comments 😊