THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOODS
( EXERCISES)
(By Dr. HEMCHE Hidaya Amina and Dr. HAKEM Hadia)
Ex1: Put the verbs in brackets in the right form.
1. It’s just struck midnight. It’s hight time we (leave) …………………….. !
2. He talks as if he (do) …………………….. all the work himself, but in fact Tom and I did most of it.
3. I wish I (know) ………………… what is wrong with my car.
4. It looks like rain ; you (have) ……………….. better take a coat.
5. I wish I (ask) …………………. the fishmonger to clean these fish. (I’m sorry I didn’t ask him).
6. The cheese looks as if rats (nibble) ………………………… it.
7. It’s high time they (mend) …………………….. this road.
8. If you (tie) ………..…………. the boat up, it wouldn’t have drifted away.
9. I wish you (not give) …………..…………… my phone number. (I’m sorry you gave it to him).
10. If only he (know) ……………………….. then that the disease was curable !
11. I wish transistor radios never (be) ………………….... invented.
12. A flower pot fell off the balcony on the head of a man who was standing below. It was most unfortunate that he happened to be standing just there. If he (stand) ………………………….. a foot to the right or left he’d have been unharmed.
13. That man has brought us nothing but trouble. I wish I never (set) …………………… eyes on him.
14. If you (have) ………………….. a peep hole in your door, you would have seen who was standing outside and keep the door shut.
15. I wish I (not try) ……………………….. to repair it. I only made it worse.
16. He looks as though he never (get) ………………………….. a square meal, but in fact his wife feeds him very well.
Ex 2: Answer the following questions by expressing a preference for a different action.
Question : Can I write my essay on the back of an envelope ?
Possible answer : I’d rather you wrote it on a sheet of foolscap.
Similarly :
Can we bring our pet snake to your party ?
I’d rather you didn’t or I’d rather you left it at home.
It would also of course be possible to answer with prefer + object + infinitive :
I’d prefer you to write it on foolscap.
I’d prefer you to leave it at home.
1. Can I go alone ?
………………………………………………………………………………
2. Can we start tomorrow ?
……………………………………………………………………………….
3. Can we sleep in the garden tonight ?
……………………………………………………………………………….
4. Can we use your scissors to cut this wire ?
……………………………………………………………………………….
5. Can I leave school at sixteen ?
……………………………………………………………………………….
6. Can we come in late tomorrow ?
……………………………………………………………………………….
7. Shall I wake you up when I come in and tell you what happened ?
………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Can I clean my motocycle in the kitchen ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
9. Can I tell Tom what you have just told me ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
10. Can I go barefoot ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
11. Shall we paint your door pink with yellow stars ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
12. Shall I ring you at 3 a.m. ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
13. Shall I threaten to burn down his house ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
14. Can I park my helicopter on the roof of your house ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
15. Can we hitch-hike to Rome ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
16. Will it be all right if I write it in longhand ?
…………………………………………………………………………………
Ex 3: Rewrite the following using a wish construction (phrases in brackets should be omitted)
1. I’m sorry I don’t live near my work.
…………………………………………………………………………………
2. I’m sorry our garden doesn’t get any sun.
…………………………………………………………………………………
3. I’m sorry I called him a liar.
…………………………………………………………………………………
4. I’m sorry I don’t know Finnish.
…………………………………………………………………………………
5. I’d like Tom to drive more slowly (but I haven’t any great hopes of this).
…………………………………………………………………………………
6. I’d like you to keep quiet. (You’re making so much noise that I can’t think.)
…………………………………………………………………………………
7. It’s a pity that shops here shut on Saturday afternoon.
…………………………………………………………………………………
8. It’s a pity he didn’t work harder during the term.
…………………………………………………………………………………
9. I would like it to stop raining (but I’m not very hopeful).
…………………………………………………………………………………
10. I’d like you to wait for me (even though you are ready to start now).
…………………………………………………………………………………
11. I’m sorry I ever came to this country.
…………………………………………………………………………………
12. I’m sorry I left my last job.
…………………………………………………………………………………
13. I’d like him to stop smoking in bed (but I haven’t any great hopes).
…………………………………………………………………………………
14. Motorists in fog : It’s a pity we don’t know where we are.
…………………………………………………………………………………
15. I’m sorry I didn’t ask the fishmonger to open these oysters.
…………………………………………………………………………………
16. I’m sorry you aren’t going to a job where you could use your English.
…………………………………………………………………………………
- Enseignant: hedayatamina hemche