EnglishAges 13-15

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Use the formal subjunctive mood in counterfactual conditionals and mandative clauses. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “She spoke as though she ____ the sole author of the report” (were / was).
Choose the correct counter… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
2. Choose the correct mandative subjunctive form: “The safety committee recommended that every student ____ goggles in the lab” (wear / wears).
Choose the correct mandati… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
3. Choose the correct conditional completion: “Had the captain checked the tide table earlier, the ferry ____ departed on schedule” (would have / will have).
Choose the correct conditi… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
4. Choose the correct past counterfactual: “If we ____ measured the mass before heating, we could have calculated the water lost” (had / would have).
Choose the correct past co… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
5. Choose the correct form: “The judge ordered that the witness ____ the courtroom” (leave / leaves).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
6. In the sentence “Verify the data before you publish”, what grammatical mood is the verb “Verify”: Imperative, Subjunctive, or Interrogative?
“Verify” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
7. Choose the correct inverted conditional: “____ the sensor to fail, the backup alarm would sound immediately” (Were / Was).
Choose the correct inverte… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
8. Choose the correct form: “Whether the tide ____ high or low, the reef survey begins at dawn” (be / is).
Choose the correct form “W… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
9. Choose the correct form: “The principal insisted that the fire exit ____ unobstructed at all times” (remain / remains).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
10. Choose the correct form: “It is vital that the patient ____ hydrated during recovery” (stay / stays).
Choose the correct form “I… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
11. Choose the correct form: “It is essential that the specimen ____ kept at a constant temperature” (be / is).
Choose the correct form “I… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
12. Choose the correct counterfactual subjunctive form: “If I ____ you, I would double-check the units before submitting” (were / was).
Choose the correct counter… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “She spoke as though she ____ the sole author of the report” (were / was).
were
Clauses introduced by “as if” or “as though” expressing an untrue condition take the subjunctive “were”.
2. Choose the correct mandative subjunctive form: “The safety committee recommended that every student ____ goggles in the lab” (wear / wears).
wear
After verbs of recommendation or demand (“recommended that”), the mandative subjunctive uses the bare infinitive “wear”.
3. Choose the correct conditional completion: “Had the captain checked the tide table earlier, the ferry ____ departed on schedule” (would have / will have).
would have
A past counterfactual condition (“Had + past participle”) pairs with “would have + past participle”.
4. Choose the correct past counterfactual: “If we ____ measured the mass before heating, we could have calculated the water lost” (had / would have).
had
In a third conditional, the “if” clause uses the past perfect (“had measured”), not “would have”.
5. Choose the correct form: “The judge ordered that the witness ____ the courtroom” (leave / leaves).
leave
“Ordered that” governs a mandative subjunctive clause with the bare verb “leave”.
6. In the sentence “Verify the data before you publish”, what grammatical mood is the verb “Verify”: Imperative, Subjunctive, or Interrogative?
Imperative
The imperative mood issues a direct command or instruction.
7. Choose the correct inverted conditional: “____ the sensor to fail, the backup alarm would sound immediately” (Were / Was).
Were
Inverted hypothetical conditionals use “Were + subject + to-infinitive” (“Were the sensor to fail…”).
8. Choose the correct form: “Whether the tide ____ high or low, the reef survey begins at dawn” (be / is).
be
In formal concessive clauses (“Whether … be X or Y”), “be” is the subjunctive form.
9. Choose the correct form: “The principal insisted that the fire exit ____ unobstructed at all times” (remain / remains).
remain
“Insisted that” triggers the mandative subjunctive (“remain” without -s).
10. Choose the correct form: “It is vital that the patient ____ hydrated during recovery” (stay / stays).
stay
“It is vital that…” triggers the mandative subjunctive “stay”.
11. Choose the correct form: “It is essential that the specimen ____ kept at a constant temperature” (be / is).
be
After “It is essential that…”, the mandative subjunctive requires the base form “be”.
12. Choose the correct counterfactual subjunctive form: “If I ____ you, I would double-check the units before submitting” (were / was).
were
In formal English, unreal or counterfactual “if” clauses use the subjunctive “were” for all persons (“If I were you”).

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “She spoke as though she ____ the sole author of the report” (were / was).
Choose the correct counter… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
2. Choose the correct mandative subjunctive form: “The safety committee recommended that every student ____ goggles in the lab” (wear / wears).
Choose the correct mandati… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
3. Choose the correct conditional completion: “Had the captain checked the tide table earlier, the ferry ____ departed on schedule” (would have / will have).
Choose the correct conditi… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
4. Choose the correct past counterfactual: “If we ____ measured the mass before heating, we could have calculated the water lost” (had / would have).
Choose the correct past co… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
5. Choose the correct form: “The judge ordered that the witness ____ the courtroom” (leave / leaves).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
6. In the sentence “Verify the data before you publish”, what grammatical mood is the verb “Verify”: Imperative, Subjunctive, or Interrogative?
“Verify” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
7. Choose the correct inverted conditional: “____ the sensor to fail, the backup alarm would sound immediately” (Were / Was).
Choose the correct inverte… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
8. Choose the correct form: “Whether the tide ____ high or low, the reef survey begins at dawn” (be / is).
Choose the correct form “W… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
9. Choose the correct form: “The principal insisted that the fire exit ____ unobstructed at all times” (remain / remains).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
10. Choose the correct form: “It is vital that the patient ____ hydrated during recovery” (stay / stays).
Choose the correct form “I… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
11. Choose the correct form: “It is essential that the specimen ____ kept at a constant temperature” (be / is).
Choose the correct form “I… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
12. Choose the correct counterfactual subjunctive form: “If I ____ you, I would double-check the units before submitting” (were / was).
Choose the correct counter… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “She spoke as though she ____ the sole author of the report” (were / was).
were
Clauses introduced by “as if” or “as though” expressing an untrue condition take the subjunctive “were”.
2. Choose the correct mandative subjunctive form: “The safety committee recommended that every student ____ goggles in the lab” (wear / wears).
wear
After verbs of recommendation or demand (“recommended that”), the mandative subjunctive uses the bare infinitive “wear”.
3. Choose the correct conditional completion: “Had the captain checked the tide table earlier, the ferry ____ departed on schedule” (would have / will have).
would have
A past counterfactual condition (“Had + past participle”) pairs with “would have + past participle”.
4. Choose the correct past counterfactual: “If we ____ measured the mass before heating, we could have calculated the water lost” (had / would have).
had
In a third conditional, the “if” clause uses the past perfect (“had measured”), not “would have”.
5. Choose the correct form: “The judge ordered that the witness ____ the courtroom” (leave / leaves).
leave
“Ordered that” governs a mandative subjunctive clause with the bare verb “leave”.
6. In the sentence “Verify the data before you publish”, what grammatical mood is the verb “Verify”: Imperative, Subjunctive, or Interrogative?
Imperative
The imperative mood issues a direct command or instruction.
7. Choose the correct inverted conditional: “____ the sensor to fail, the backup alarm would sound immediately” (Were / Was).
Were
Inverted hypothetical conditionals use “Were + subject + to-infinitive” (“Were the sensor to fail…”).
8. Choose the correct form: “Whether the tide ____ high or low, the reef survey begins at dawn” (be / is).
be
In formal concessive clauses (“Whether … be X or Y”), “be” is the subjunctive form.
9. Choose the correct form: “The principal insisted that the fire exit ____ unobstructed at all times” (remain / remains).
remain
“Insisted that” triggers the mandative subjunctive (“remain” without -s).
10. Choose the correct form: “It is vital that the patient ____ hydrated during recovery” (stay / stays).
stay
“It is vital that…” triggers the mandative subjunctive “stay”.
11. Choose the correct form: “It is essential that the specimen ____ kept at a constant temperature” (be / is).
be
After “It is essential that…”, the mandative subjunctive requires the base form “be”.
12. Choose the correct counterfactual subjunctive form: “If I ____ you, I would double-check the units before submitting” (were / was).
were
In formal English, unreal or counterfactual “if” clauses use the subjunctive “were” for all persons (“If I were you”).

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification