alytical practical grammar - Toronto Public Library

SYNTAX-SUBJUNCTIVE. 185
SUBJUXCTIVE MOOD.
857. RULE XIV.-The subjunctive mood is 'Us(d in
dependent clauses, when both contingency or doubt, and
futurity, are expressed j as, "If he continue to study he
will improve."
858. When contingency or doubt only, and not futlll'ity, is implicd, the
indicative is used; as, "If he has money he hCJ" it."
859. Contingency or doubt is usually expressed by the conncctives, if,
thoug", unless, eXClpt, whether, &c.; but whetber futurity is implied or lIot,
must be gathel'ed frolU the context. In general, when tbe sellse is the
same, with shall, will, or should prefixed to the vcrb, as witbout it, the suhjune-tive
may be used; otherwise, not. Tbus, in the preccedil,t; example,
.. If he coutinue," and, "If be shall continue," mean the same thint;.
860. lti'Jn is not whether man be a free agent."-Ho/,vn. "If
thi, be an elTor, it is a harmless one." In Done of these can ,,,,,", or will,
,,1' should, be intrvc\uc"d, witbuut changing or destroying the sense. Iu all
"f them, present usage wonld substitute is for be. It will not do, howevet',
rur the grammarian t .. sct IJp a rule, by which establishe,1 and reputable
u';lge is cOIHlemned, though the present t:hte tends alJother way. Still,
there are cases in which this cbange is inadmissible (3~IO).
861. [{,'/ and thai, anncxed to a command, !'equi", the subjlJnctive
lllood; as, .. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty"-" Take heed that
thou speak not to Jacob, either good or bad." And sOllletimes wjthout a
cOlllmnnu; as, "They shall bear thee up, le,t thou dash thy foot against a
st"ne."-L I, nut this the fa&t that I havll chosen-that thou brine; the poor
to thy ilJ>Ilse."
862. {{, with but following it, when futurity is denoted, rcquil'CS the
suhjunctive mood; as, "If he do but touch the hHls, they shall emoke."
But when future time is not implied, the indicative is used; as, "If he doc,
but whisper, every word is heard distinctly,"