21st Century Grammar Handbook

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21st century grammar
21st century grammar, transformation, transformation, - - - .pdf;filename*= UTF-8''অনুবাদ চর্চা (প্রথম আলো পত্রিকা থেকে-২৯-০৩-২০২০)-1, 21st century grammar

Subjunctive.

Subject complement. Linking verbs (“be” appear, “become,” feel “grow,” “look,”
“make,” “prove,” remain “seem,” smell and sound) are sometimes followed by
nouns or adjectives that are called subject complements The dog is big it is a hunter The words after “is” in each clause of the example sentence are subject complements (also called “predicate nominatives”).
Subject complements can be as long or complex as necessary to make a point. As long as it remains clear what they refer or are linked to, they can fall virtually anywhere in a sentence. But whatever their length, complexity, or position, they are always in the same case as the subject—the nominative: It is II is the nominative or subject form or case of the pronoun that properly appears in the example sentence. Current usage permits (even encourages) violation of this grammatical
rule, so that most people say (and some write, It is me Despite the widespread use of “me” in such sentences, I is correct.
A singular subject can be followed by a plural subject complement, and just the reverse We area team the team hasten members Both examples are correct.
Make sure the subject agrees with the verb, not the subject complement (see
agreement).
Subjunctive. The conditional or subjunctive mood” is a verb form that indicates nonexistent, possible, potential, or desired circumstances Would that Chris were here Note that “were” (the past subjunctive of “be” in the third-person singular) is not in the same form as the simple present tense or past tense of the verb. Verbs form the present subjunctive from the main or unin ected root The boss asked that I be there, and I demanded that my department head request that in writing Be and
“request” are present subjunctives that di er from the present indicative rst-and
third-person singular forms one might expect to see here am and “requests.”
In the past tense, subjunctive forms are the same as the indicative past except for

be which uses were in all circumstances, as in the first example.
The oddity of the subjunctive forms has led to their virtual disappearance from spoken language and has contributed to their fading use in writing. But they are correct and clear and should be used in all situations calling for formal standard
English or when standards are unclear and one tries to err on the side of caution.
The typical situations in which subjunctive should appear are clauses that are introduced by “if,” as if and as though If I were there, my friend could visit me clauses that convey requests, requirements, demands, or suggestions and start with “that” (as in the initial example and clauses that convey a wish The other driver wished that I be responsible, but I hoped that I would not beheld accountable.”

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