12.2 Mood: Indicative, subjunctive, and imperative

Understanding Grammatical Moods

Grammatical moods shape how we express ideas in English. Rather than changing what we say, mood changes how we frame it: as a fact, a hypothetical, or a command. The three moods you need to know are indicative, subjunctive, and imperative.

Grammatical moods: indicative, subjunctive, imperative

Indicative mood is the one you use most often. It expresses factual statements or asks questions about reality (or what the speaker believes to be reality).

Subjunctive mood conveys hypothetical, wishful, or contrary-to-fact situations. It often shows up in subordinate clauses and involves specific verb form changes. You'll recognize it most easily in constructions like:

Notice "were" instead of "was." That shift signals the subjunctive.

Imperative mood gives commands, requests, or instructions. It uses the base form of the verb and directly addresses the listener.

Forms and uses of subjunctive mood

The subjunctive can feel tricky because it doesn't follow the usual subject-verb agreement rules. Here are the main situations where it appears:

• Expressing wishes: Use "were" for all subjects, regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural. I wish I were taller. / She wishes she were there.
• Demands, suggestions, and recommendations: Use the bare base form of the verb (no "-s," no "to"). The teacher insisted that the student submit the assignment on time. Notice it's "submit," not "submits."
• Hypothetical "if" clauses: These describe situations that aren't real. If I were you, I would accept the job offer.
• Fixed expressions: Some traditional phrases preserve the subjunctive. God bless you. / Long live the king. / Be that as it may.

A helpful test: if the verb form looks "wrong" by normal agreement rules but the sentence describes something unreal or demanded, you're probably looking at the subjunctive.

Imperative mood for commands and instructions

Imperative sentences start with the base form of the verb. The subject ("you") is implied, not stated. That's what makes them sound direct.

There are several types of imperative sentences:

• Commands: Close the door.
• Instructions: Add two cups of flour to the mixture.
• Requests: Please pass the salt.
• Advice: Always wear sunscreen.

You can soften an imperative by adding "please" or by using "let's" to make it feel inclusive rather than bossy. Compare Clean up this mess with Let's clean up this mess. Same imperative mood, very different tone.

Indicative vs. subjunctive in complex sentences

This is where students most often mix up the two moods, so pay close attention to what the subordinate clause is doing.

Indicative in subordinate clauses states something factual or believed to be true:

Subjunctive in subordinate clauses expresses doubt, wishes, or hypothetical situations:

Notice "arrive," not "arrives." The subjunctive drops the "-s."

Verbs that trigger the subjunctive in the clause that follows them include: demand, suggest, recommend, propose, insist, request. Whenever you see one of these verbs followed by "that," the next verb should be in its base form.

Conditional sentences are another key place to watch for mood shifts:

• Real conditions (indicative): If it rains, I will stay home. The rain is a genuine possibility.
• Unreal conditions (subjunctive): If I were rich, I would travel the world. The speaker is not rich; this is contrary to fact.

A note on "was" vs. "were": You'll hear I wish she was here in casual speech, but in formal or standard written English, I wish she were here is correct because the situation is contrary to fact. For grammar courses and formal writing, stick with "were" for unreal conditions and wishes.