When we hear the word 'mood', we often associate it with emotions. However, in the English language, there is another type of mood called grammatical mood. It is used to convey the primary purpose of a sentence. In this article, we will explore grammatical moods, the five main types, and provide examples for each one.
Grammatical mood refers to the way verbs are used in a sentence to indicate its purpose. The five main grammatical moods in English are indicative, interrogative, imperative, conditional, and subjunctive. Each mood is determined by the specific purpose of the sentence.
Verbs play an essential role in expressing different moods in a sentence. For instance, a statement is in the indicative mood, while a command is in the imperative mood. To convey these moods, verbs can be adjusted using inflections (such as adding '-s' or '-ed') or auxiliary verbs (such as did, has, was, were, is).
For example, the sentence 'Did you finish your homework?' falls under the interrogative mood as it asks a question. By using the auxiliary verb 'did', the sentence takes on the interrogative mood. In contrast, the sentence 'If I were rich, I'd buy a Ferrari' is in the subjunctive mood as it expresses a hypothetical wish. The use of the auxiliary verb 'were' instead of 'was' indicates the subjunctive mood.
Simply put, a hypothetical situation refers to something that is possible but not real. English has five main grammatical moods - indicative, interrogative, imperative, conditional, and subjunctive. Both subjunctive and conditional moods can be used to discuss conditional situations. However, the crucial difference is that the conditional mood is used for real-life scenarios, while the subjunctive mood is used for hypothetical or imaginary ones.
The subjunctive mood requires a change in the verb tense. The specific change depends on the sentence and its purpose. In a hypothetical situation, wish, or condition, the verb 'moves back in time' by one space (e.g. 'have' becomes 'had', 'walk' becomes 'walked', and 'run' becomes 'ran'). Conversely, when giving a demand or suggestion, the verb is used in its base form without any inflections (e.g. 'I demand he give me a raise' and 'It's suggested she visit the castle'). One effective way to identify the subjunctive mood is by observing the verb 'to be'. In a hypothetical situation, wish, or condition, 'to be' is always 'were', even when 'was' could be used (e.g. 'I wish I were famous' instead of 'I wish I was famous'). When giving a demand or suggestion, 'to be' remains 'be' instead of 'is', 'are', or 'am' (e.g. 'I suggest he be early today' instead of 'I suggest he is early today').
The conditional mood is often used to express the dependency of one action on another and to convey the conditions under which something could happen.
Now that you have a better understanding of grammatical moods and the five main types in English, it's time to put your knowledge to the test!
