SEMINAR 5 -- THE   SUBJUNCTIVE   MOOD; THE  PASSIVE   VOICE

The subjunctive
  -   is a special kind of present tense with no --s in the 3rd
     person sg
-   in the other persons the form is identical with the
indicative (e.g. It is essential that they come.)
-   is used in a formal style, especially in American English
after words which express the idea that something is important
or desirable, e.g.
    a)  verbs -- suggest, recommend, ask, insist, request, demand
b)  nouns (that clauses) -- advice, decision, requirement
c)  adjectives (that clauses) -- it is .... that+subj -  vital,
essential, urgent, important, necessary, desirable, imperative
(=urgent)
  -   the same forms are used in present and past
-   negative is formed without do
  
  e.g.    It's essential that every child have the same
  educational opportunities.
            We felt it was important that James write to Uncle
  Arthur as soon as possible.
          Our advice is that the company invest in new
  equipment.
          The judge recommended that Simon remain in prison
  for at least 3 years.
            I insist that we not reconsider the Council's
  decision.
          We consider it desirable that he not leave.
  
The verb be
  -   the subjunctive form is "be" in all persons
-   another subj. form is "were" used mainly in if clauses in
the 1st and 3rd person;  this is the past subjunctive -- it is
hypothetical in meaning ( also used in concessive clauses and
after wish and suppose).
 Note: in informal style "were" is often replaced by "was"

       e.g. It is important that Helen be present when we sign
the contract.
              The Director asked that he be allowed to
advertise for more staff.
              If I were you I would stop smoking.
      I wish it were Saturday.
              Just suppose everyone were to act like you.
The subjunctive in fixed phrases

The subjunctive survives in some fixed expressions and phrases:

God save the Queen!                     God bless you.
Long live the bride and groom!            Be that as it
may........
Heaven forbid that......                He's a sort of adopted
uncle, as it were.
If we have to pay £ 2,000, then so be it.       Suffice it to
say that.......

Alternatives

In British English the subjunctive is unusual, alternatives
are:
  a)  should + infinitive
  b)  the indicative (i.e. ordinary present and past tenses)

e.g.    It is essential that every child should have the same
educational opportunities. (or has..)
         We felt it was important that James should write to Uncle
Arthur. (or that James wrote...)


Other example of the subjunctive -- underline the subjunctive:

It is advisable that discipline not be enforced too strictly.
The committee has proposed that the plan be submitted to the
local branches.
It is vital that an agreement be reached.
Even if the patient be cured, the disease leaves permanent
traces in this organism.
He insists that all numerical data be checked.
It is necessary that everybody be present.
She insists that he accompany her.
It's hight time he were taught a lesson.


Rephrase the sentences using "should"  or indicative instead of
the subjunctive


The passive voice

  -   active voice -- we say what people and things do
  -   passive voice -- we say what happens to people and things
  -   the distinction between the passive and active voice
     applies only to transitive verbs, but not all, there are some
     transitive stative verbs which are not used in the passive
     (e.g. fit, have, lack, suit, resemble) and some prepositional
     verbs (e.g. Everybody agreed with me.)
  
Change from active to passive:
  a)  the active subject, if retained, becomes the passive agent
     e.g. The butler murdered the detective. ? The detective
     was murdered by the butler.
     
  b)  The active object becomes the passive subject.
     e.g. My grandfather built this house. ? This house was
     built by my grandfather.
     
  c)  the preposition "by" is inserted before the agent (if
     mentioned), when we talk about instrument, we use "with" -- e.g.
     He was shot by the policeman with a rifle.

  -   the agent is an optional element and is commonly omitted
  -   the agent can be the person or thing that does the action
     or that causes what happens
     e.g. I was shocked by his attitude.
     
Note:
  -   get (+ past participle) is frequently used with the
     passive meaning in informal English, it often has a reflexive
     meaning -  get caught, get dressed, get run over, get killed,
     get invited, get drowned
     e.g. My watch got broken while I was playing with the
     children.
           He got caught by the police driving at 120 mph.
           I never get invited to parties.
     !! This form is not used about longer, more deliberate or
     planned actions!
     
  -   as mentioned above, some stative transitive verbs occur
     only in the active
     e.g. They have a nice house.        He lacks confidence.
  -   in the "statal passive" the --ed form refers to a state
     resulting from an action
     e.g. The building is demolished. (a copular verb +
     adjective complement)

            Such sentences in the past tense can be ambiguous
(= have two meanings)
            e.g.  Her arm was broken.      a) dynamic passive --
Someone broke her arm. = action
                    b) statal passive -- Her arm was in a
state of fracture.

           Notice the difference between:
     a)  I was worried by mosquitoes all night.
     b)  I was worried about you all night.

Uses of the passive

1)   the identity of the agent of the action is not known
     e.g. The room was decorated a few months ago.
2)   the speakers (or writers) want to avoid identifying the
agent because they do not want to
      assign or accept responsibility
      e.g. My letter has not yet been answered.
3)   there is no reason to mention the agent -- the
identification is not important or it is obvious
       from the context
     e.g. Many more illnesses can be cured now than in the
past.
4)   in scientific and technical writing to avoid the constant
repetition of the subject "I" or
      "we"
5)   to put emphasis  on the agent of the action
6)   to avoid what would otherwise be a long subject
      e.g. I was annoyed by Mary wanting to tell everybody what
to do.
7)   to retain the same subject throughout a long sentence

Other notes on the passive
  -   if a verb has two objects, both can become the subject of
     passive verb
     e.g. She gave her sister the car. ?  a) Her sister was
     given the car. (more common)
                              b) The car was given to her
     sister.
     The choice depends on what has been said before or what
     needs to be put last in the sentence.
  -   passive structures are often possible after it+ a clause
     e.g.  It was thought that she was a spy.
            It was felt that he was the right man for the job.
     
  -   passive structure + the infinitive
     e.g. I was asked to send a stamped addressed envelope.
           He is believed to be dangerous.
           We were told not to come back.
           The company is said to be in trouble.
           Mary is said to be some kind of secret agent.
           He was seen to come.  (!careful -- in the active -
     They saw him come.)
           He was made to tell them everything. (!careful -- in
     the active -- They made him
     
     tell them ......)
  -   like, enjoy, remember + ing
     e.g. Most people don't like being criticized.
     
  -   some verbs can be used both transitively and
     intransitively, e.g. open -- notice the possible difference
     between the active and passive sentence:
     e.g.   The door opened.
             The door was opened.
     
  -   some active verbs have a passive meaning
     e.g. The wine is selling quickly.
            The book reads well.
            These clothes wash well.