• 2. The subjunctive mood in object clauses

The Subjunctive Mood is used in Object Clauses:

Pattern I

When the predicate of the principal clause is expressed by the verb to wish. Sentences with wish (sometimes called wish-clauses) are often translated into Russian by means of как жаль, мне жаль, я хотел бы, мне хотелось бы.

I wish + the Past Indefinite/ were/was

1)

We use ‘wish’ to talk about something that you would like to be different in the present; to talk about hypothetical wishes.

If the action expressed in the object clause is simultaneous with that of the principal clause, the Past Subjunctive of the verb ‘to be’ (the form ‘were’) is used; with other verbs, the same meaning is expressed by the Past Indefinite of the Indicative Mood.

• I wish I knew it. Жаль, что я этого не знаю. I don’t know it but I wish I did. Я не знаю это, а жаль.

• I wish I didn’t know it! Какая жалость, что я это знаю! I know it but I wish I didn’t. Я знаю это, а жаль.

• I wish I knew Chinese. (but I don’t know it) I don’t know Chinese but I wish I did.

• I wish I had a better education. I don’t have a good education but I wish I did.

• I am always very busy but I wish I weren’t. Я всегда очень занят, а жаль.

• I wish I were on holiday now. (I wish I was on holiday now. - was is more common in everyday speech)

• I wish I had a bicycle. Жаль, что у меня нет велосипеда. / Я хотел бы, чтобы у меня был велосипед.

• I wished I knew the answer. Я пожалел, что не знал ответа. / Я хотел бы знать ответ.

• It is cold but I wish it weren’t. I wish it were a bit warmer.

• I’m hungry. I wish I had something to eat.

• I wish he were more careful. He isn’t careful but I wish he were.

• I wish we were in Paris now. (It’s a pity we aren’t.)

• I wish it didn’t rain so often. Жаль, что так часто идут дожди.

• He lives in the country. He wishes he didn’t live in the country. He wishes he didn’t.

• I’m having lunch with Susan. I wish I weren’t having lunch with Susan.

• Don’t you wish you played tennis as well as she does?

• You will wish she wrote letters more often. Вы пожалеете, что она не часто пишет письма.

2)

I wish + the Past Perfect/could have done

We use ‘wish’ to regret that something happened or didn’t happen in the past.

If the action expressed in the object clause is prior to that of the principal clause the Past Perfect of the Indicative Mood is used.

• I wish I had done it. Жаль, что я этого не сделал. / Я бы хотел, чтобы я это сделал.

• I wish I had not done it. Жаль, что я это сделал. / Я бы хотел, чтобы я это не сделал.

• I wish I had known you then. Жаль, что я не знал вас тогда.

• I didn’t know you well then but I wish I had. Я не знал его тогда хорошо, а жаль.

• I wish I hadn’t bet my money on horses. (but I did)

• He wishes he hadn’t missed so many classes.

• She wished she hadn’t neglected her disease.

• I wish I had taken a bus. (I’m already tired of walking.)

• She wishes she hadn’t sold her flat. She sold her flat but she wishes she hadn’t.

• I wish I could have been at your party but I was very busy at that time.

• I wish I could have followed your advice. Жаль, что я не смог последовать вашему совету.

• I couldn’t solve this problem but I wish I could have. Я не смог решить эту проблему, а жаль.

Note: Wishes can refer to situations in the present, past or future.

I wish + I/we could do + you would do

3)

The action refers to the present or future.

We use ‘wish’ to express request, annoyance or dissatisfaction, disappointment or lack of hope; to make criticism; to express a desire for a situation or someone’s behaviour to be different.

The analytical subjunctive with the mood auxiliary would (for all persons) is used in object clauses after the verb ‘wish’. Note that ‘wish’ and ‘would’ have a different subject. After the subject pronoun ‘I’ and ‘we’ we use ‘could’ instead of ‘would’. We never say I wish I would and He wishes he would. We say: I wish I could and He wishes he could.

• I wish you would speak more slowly! Да говорите же медленнее!

• I wish they would go away! Скорее бы они ушли!

• I wish you would stay with me for a while. Я бы хотел, чтобы вы побыли немного со мной.

• I wish the music would stop! Когда же, наконец, прекратится музыка!

• I wish you would stop smoking! (but I don’t think you will) Хоть бы ты прекратил курить!

• I wish it would stop raining. (but I’m afraid it won’t - disappointment)

• They are making a dreadful noise. I wish they wouldn’t!

• I wish students would pay more attention! (dissatisfaction)

• I wish you would treat me better. You don’t treat me well but I wish you would.

• I wish I could fly! (but I can’t) Хорошо бы уметь летать! I can’t fly but I wish I could!

• I wish I could play the piano! Хорошо бы уметь играть на пианино! / Жаль, что я не умею играть на пианино!

• I’m tired. I wish I could go to bed!

• I wish I could come to your party, but I’m afraid I’ll be away that weekend.

• He wishes he could spend more time in the open air.

• I can’t read books in the original, but I wish I could.

Note 1: We use ‘I wish... would...’ for actions and changes. Compare: I wish Sarah would come. (= I want her to come.) but: I wish Sarah were here now. (not ‘I wish Sarah would be here now.’) I wish you would buy me a car. but I wish I had a car. (not ‘I wish I would have a car.’) Note 2: If you are talking about something that is impossible to change, e.g. a person’s height, you are making an impossible wish, so you use the past tense. I wish you were taller.

• Compare wishes with the verb ‘to hope’

1) ‘hope’ + ‘simple present’ or ‘future’ for an immediate ‘wish’. (The present with a future reference is possible after ‘hope’)

• I hope (that) he is on time. I hope (that) he won’t be late. (not ‘I wish’)

• I hope she gets the job she has applied for. / I hope she will get the job she has applied for.

• I hope he stops talking soon! / I hope he will stop talking soon!

2) We often use the Future Perfect after the verb ‘to hope’ to show that an action will already be completed by a certain time in the future.

• I hope you will have changed your mind by tomorrow.

3) ‘hope + to-infinitive’ (Present or Future reference)

‘hope + perfect infinitive’ (perfect infinitive is parallel to the use of the Future Perfect)

• I hope to see you soon.

• I hope to have finished by 12. (= I hope I will have finished by 12.)

4) Unfulfilled hopes and wishes with the verb ‘to hope’.

• ‘hoped + perfect infinitive’ shows that the hope was not carried out.

• I hoped to have met him this morning

• We can use the Past Perfect (or the Past indefinite or the Past Continuous) with the verb ‘to hope’ to describe things we hoped or wished to do but didn’t.

• I had hoped to send him a telegram to congratulate him on his marriage but I didn’t manage it.

Here is a summary of patterns using wish:

1) I wish I spoke English fluently. Жаль, что я не говорю по-английски бегло. I wish you didn’t think so. Жаль, что ты так думаешь. / Хотел бы я, чтобы ты так не думал. I wish I were better educated. He wishes he felt better. He doesn’t feel well, but he wishes he did. He wished he didn’t have to work so hard.

2) I wish I had sent her a letter yesterday. (I sent it only today.) Жаль, что я не отправил ей письмо вчера. I didn’t send her a letter yesterday but I wish I had. I wish you hadn’t lost my book. Жаль, что ты потерял мою книгу.You lost my book but I wish you hadn’t. I wished I had been taught music in my childhood. Жаль, что меня не учили музыке в детстве. I weren’t taught music in my childhood but I wish I had been. I couldn’t follow your advice but I wish I could have.

3) I wish you would keep quiet! Да перестаньте же, наконец! I wish I could stay here a little longer! Как бы мне хотелось побыть здесь подольше! I can’t stay here any longer but I wish I could!

All these wishes are contrary to reality. If we want to express a realizable wish, we use an Infinitive, not a clause:

• I want to see you. I want you to see me. I’d like to discuss the problem in detail.

• I wish to stay here. I wish it to be true.

The Subjunctive Mood is used in Object Clauses:

Pattern II

When the predicate of the principal clause is expressed by a verb denoting fear:

to fear to tremble to dread to be afraid to worry to be fearful to be frightened to be terrified to be in terror to be nervous to be troubled

- бояться - дрожать при мысли - бояться, страшиться - бояться; быть напуганным - беспокоиться - испытывать страх; быть испуганным; быть напуганным - быть испуганным - ужасаться - быть в ужасе - волноваться, нервничать - беспокоиться, тревожиться

1) After the conjunction lest (как бы … не) the form should + Infinitive is used (i.e. the analytical subjunctive with the mood auxiliary should for all persons) or the Present Subjunctive (i.e. the same form as the Infinitive without the particle to) or the Past Indefinite (if the predicate of the principal clause is in a past tense).

• She fears lest she (should) forget your address. Она боится, как бы не забыть ваш адрес.

• I fear/feared lest I (should) keep you waiting. Боюсь (Я боялся), как бы мне не заставить вас ожидать.

• We are afraid (were afraid) lest she get there late. Мы боимся (боялись), как бы она не опоздала.

• He feared lest the plan became known. Он боялся, как бы план не стал известен.

• The passengers were terrified lest the ship (should) catch fire.

• He fears/feared lest his secret should be disclosed/be disclosed.

• He feared lest his secret was disclosed.

2) After the conjunction that the Indicative Mood is used, often with the modal verb

may/might.

The rules of the sequence of tenses are observed here.

• She fears that they will change/may change their minds. Она боится, что они передумают.

• She feared that they would change/might change their minds. Она боялась, что они передумают.

• She fears that they will miss/may miss the train.

• She feared that they would miss/might miss the train.

Here is a summary of patterns using fear:

1) I fear/feared lest they should punish her. Боюсь/Я боялся, как бы они не наказали её. I fear/feared lest he miss the train. Боюсь/Я боялся, как бы он не опоздал на поезд. He feared lest he failed his exam in Latin. Он боялся, как бы не завалить экзамен по-латыни.

2) I fear that they will/may misunderstand me. Боюсь, что они неправильно поймут меня. I feared that they would/might misunderstand me. Я боялся, что они неправильно поймут меня. She fears that he misunderstands her. Она боится, что он неправильно понимает её. She fears that he changed his mind. Она боится, что он передумал. She feared that he had changed his mind. Она боялась, что он передумал.

The Subjunctive Mood is used in Object Clauses:

Pattern III When the predicate of the principal clause is expressed by verbs and

word-groups denoting order, suggestion, advice, desire, etc.

We use: the form should + Infinitive (i.e. the analytical subjunctive with the mood auxiliary should for all persons) (The action of the subordinate clause follows that of the principal, therefore should is never used with the Perfect Infinitive) or the Present Subjunctive (i.e. the same form as the Infinitive without the particle to)

or the Past Indefinite (if the predicate of the principal clause is in a past tense).

I We You They

suggest/suggested advise/advised order/ordered приказывать, предписывать propose/proposed предлагать, вносить предложение demand/demanded recommend/recommended desire/desired желать, очень хотеть, мечтать insist/insisted request просить, предлагать, вежливо приказывать require требовать, приказывать I am anxious очень хочется I am determined полон решимости will see to it/I saw to it позаботиться, присмотреть, проследить

that

he should apologise. we should discuss the problem. she should not look for another job. you come later. (the Present Subjunctive) he stay at a hotel. she not look for another job. If the predicate of the principal clause is in a past tense the Past Indefinite of the Indicative Mood can also be used.

• I suggest/suggested that we (should) go on holiday. Я предлагаю/предлагал поехать отдыхать.

• I suggest that he not apply/shouldn’t apply for the job.

• He insists/insisted that they (should) be ready soon.

• She is determined that she (should) finish law school. Она полна решимости получить юридическое образование.

• I recommend/recommended that you (should) obey your officers.

• The doctor orders/ordered that the patient (should) stay in bed.

The rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed in object clauses of this type.

Note: If the predicate of the principal clause is in a past tense we use:

should + Infinitive or the Present Subjunctive or the Past Indefinite.

• She insisted that he should not pay them the money.

• She insisted that he not pay them the money. Она настаивала на том, чтобы он не платил им.

• She insisted that he did not pay them the money.

• The doctor ordered that the patient should stay in bed.

• The doctor ordered that the patient stay in bed.

• The doctor ordered that the patient stayed in bed.

Object Clauses are generally introduced by the conjunction that; asyndetic connection is less frequent.

• They demanded that he leave at once. (formal style, the Present Subjunctive)

• They demanded that he should leave at once. (less formal style)

• They demanded that he left at once. (informal style, the Past Indefinite)

NOTE: I. EXPRESSING WISHES WITH ‘If only ...’ (Если бы только …)

If only ... is used with same verb forms as I wish ... and it is stronger and more emphatic than I wish. If only ... is often used with an exclamation mark (!) and expresses regret or criticizes somebody else’s behaviour. In speech, ‘only’ is often heavily stressed.

If only ... = I really wish ...

Pattern 1

If only + the Past Indefinite/ were/was (Present reference)

• If only I had a car! (I don’t have a car.) (Если бы только у меня была машина!) (Cf. I wish I had a car.)

• If only I didn’t have to work for a living! (Cf. I wish I didn’t have to work for a living.)

• If only it were true! (Cf. I wish it were true.) (It is not true.)

• If only I knew the answer to this question! (Если бы я только знал ответ на этот вопрос)

• If only I had enough time!

Pattern 2

If only + the Past Perfect/could have done (Past reference)

• If only you had explained the situation. (Cf. I wish you had explained the situation.)

• If only you had let me know earlier! (Cf. I wish you had let me know earlier.)

• If only I had been here yesterday! The accident would never have happened.

• If only I hadn’t told lies to my mum! (Cf. I wish I hadn’t told lies to my mum.)

Pattern 3

If only + I could do/you would do/they could do (Present or Future reference)

• If only they would stop complaining! (Cf. I wish they would stop complaining.)

• If only you wouldn’t slam the door when you come in! It makes me angry.

• If only it would stop raining! (Cf. I wish it would stop raining.

• If only I could see her again! (Cf. I wish I could see her again.)

• If only I could drive a car! (Если бы только я умела водить машину.)

• If only they could go with me! (Если бы только они смогли пойти со мной.)

The position of ‘only’ after ‘if’:

‘Only’ can be separated from ‘if’ and can be placed:

- after be - before participle II - after the modal verb

If he were only here! (Cf. If only he were here!) If I had only known! (Cf. If only I had known!) If you would only try harder! !(Cf. If only you would try harder!)

The use of ‘if only’ in short answers:

• It would be nice if Jane were here. - If only she were! (= If only she were here!)

• You should have come with us. - If only I had! (= If only I had come with you!)

• I can’t help you with that box. - If only you would! (= If only you would help me with that box!)

• It would be nice if you could stay with us. - If only I could! (= If only I could stay with you!)

NOTE: II. SET EXPRESSIONS USED TO DENOTE UNREALITY