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by nuhru_1098 Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:18 pmAnother related grammatical concept here is mood. Mood (or mode) regards the relationship of the verb with reality and intent. While other languages have different verb forms for the same tenses in different moods, English does not get too complicated with moods. Some regard English as having the following four moods:
1. The Indicative Mood regards the action as actually occurring in reality, as a matter of fact. All the tenses mentioned above are in the indicative mood, which is the most prevalent in English.
2. The Imperative Mood states requests, orders, and strong suggestions.
Go there now! Do not postpone this any longer!
3. The Conditional Mood regards the action as not factually occurring in reality, but only as a result of a potential fulfillment of some condition (irreality).
• The Present Conditional (would+base verb) expresses hypothetical results, reporting what someone said, and in polite speech.
If I won the lottery, I would go on a trip around the world.
• The Past Conditional (would+ have+ past participle form of the verb) expresses hypothetical outcomes that may have occurred in the past and can no longer be achieved.
If you had told me about the party, I would have come with you (but you didn’t).
4. The Subjunctive Mood expresses desires, wishes, and assumptions that are not necessarily to be fulfilled in reality. It is used in specific figures of speech and is of little use in Modern English.
I demand that she leave at once!
If only you were here!
If that be the case, than…
The more you encounter and use the different verb tenses and forms, the more you will be able to control and make proper use of their fine nuances in meaning that will enrich your English writing.
1. The Indicative Mood regards the action as actually occurring in reality, as a matter of fact. All the tenses mentioned above are in the indicative mood, which is the most prevalent in English.
2. The Imperative Mood states requests, orders, and strong suggestions.
Go there now! Do not postpone this any longer!
3. The Conditional Mood regards the action as not factually occurring in reality, but only as a result of a potential fulfillment of some condition (irreality).
• The Present Conditional (would+base verb) expresses hypothetical results, reporting what someone said, and in polite speech.
If I won the lottery, I would go on a trip around the world.
• The Past Conditional (would+ have+ past participle form of the verb) expresses hypothetical outcomes that may have occurred in the past and can no longer be achieved.
If you had told me about the party, I would have come with you (but you didn’t).
4. The Subjunctive Mood expresses desires, wishes, and assumptions that are not necessarily to be fulfilled in reality. It is used in specific figures of speech and is of little use in Modern English.
I demand that she leave at once!
If only you were here!
If that be the case, than…
The more you encounter and use the different verb tenses and forms, the more you will be able to control and make proper use of their fine nuances in meaning that will enrich your English writing.
