The Suppositional Mood
Present Suppositional
should + non-perfect
should do
should be doing
should be done
Past Suppositional
should + perfect infinitive
should have done
should have been doing
should have been done
Types of Subclauses | Examples |
Subjective appraisal of the action It is necessary, important, essential, imperative, etc. that Subject should |
It is necessary (that) we (should) be present.
It is important (that) you (should) help your friend. It is imperative (that) you (should) keep the engagements. |
Emotional estimation of the action
It is desirable, advisable, natural, surprising, strange, curious, doubtful, cruel; It’s a pity; It’s a shame, etc. |
It is cruel that I
should make him suffer. It is funny that we should have forgotten all about it. It’s a shame that she should prompt me every time I start to speak. It’s a pity that we should have quarrelled |
After passive voice |
It was decided that all the students
(should) prepare Home – Reading reports. It is requested (required) that the meeting (should) not be cancelled. |
After the expressions
It’s high time It’s about time It’s time |
It’s time we
(should) go/went to bed. It’s high time he (should) be/were more serious. |
After the verbs meaning demand, order, advice, insistence, proposal, etc.
introduced by the conjunction “that” |
He insisted that the young actress
(should) star in the play in the coming season. He requested that she (should) partner him. We ask that you (should) listen to our convincing arguments. Your advice that he (should) wait till next week is reasonable. |
After the verbs and expressions meaning fear
(to fear, to be afraid, to be anxious, to be in terror, to tremble, to dread, etc.) After “lest” |
They passengers were terrified
lest the ship (should) catch fire. She worried lest Jane should have caught a cold in the open car. Our fear lest he should have given away our secret was great. The girl whispered these words lest somebody (should) overhear her. She opens the window lest it (should) be stuffy in the room. |
After the expressions meaning astonishment, regret, satisfaction (to be astonished, to be pleased, to be sorry, etc.) |
I’m astonished that she
should have said so. I was pleased that she should like the book. I’m sorry you shouldn’t have liked the play. |
After the structures:
to think it necessary to believe it advisable to consider it important to find it desirable to feel it strange, etc. – the |
I findit natural that she
should want to be a teacher. They consider it understandable that he should have left without saying good-bye. |
In predicative clauses with the meaning of:
demand, order, advice, proposal, wish, fear, insistence, etc. – the |
His suggestion was that their plan
(should) be turned down. Her fear waslest he should have changed his mind. Her wish was that everything (should) be cleared up before the meeting. |
In adverbial clauses of problematic (hypothetical) condition |
If you
should meet him, give him my best regards. If you should find another way out, will you inform me? |
In adverbial clauses of problematic (hypothetical) concession |
Though it
(should) rain, we shall have to go. Whatever he (should) say, I will not change my decision. |