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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. 1. In the sentence “If the bridge were wider, buses could cross in both directions”, what mood is “were”: Subjunctive or Imperative?

    “were” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
  2. 2. 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…
  3. 3. 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…
  4. 4. Choose the correct form: “He acts as if he ____ every capital city in the world” (knew / knows).

    Choose the correct form “H… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
  5. 5. In the sentence “Water freezes at 0 °C at standard pressure”, what grammatical mood is the verb “freezes”: Indicative or Subjunctive?

    “freezes” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
  6. 6. 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…
  7. 7. Choose the correct form: “The judge ordered that the witness ____ the courtroom” (leave / leaves).

    Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
  8. 8. 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…
  9. 9. Choose the correct form: “The editor demanded that the fabricated quotation ____ removed immediately” (be / was).

    Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
  10. 10. 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…
  11. 11. Choose the correct form: “It is important that a scientific hypothesis ____ testable and falsifiable” (be / are).

    Choose the correct form “I… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
  12. 12. Choose the correct form: “The bylaws require that the treasurer ____ an audited statement every year” (submit / submits).

    Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
12 questions · Seed 44 · 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. 1. In the sentence “If the bridge were wider, buses could cross in both directions”, what mood is “were”: Subjunctive or Imperative?

    Subjunctive

    “Were” expresses a hypothetical condition contrary to present fact (subjunctive mood).

  2. 2. 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”.

  3. 3. 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”).

  4. 4. Choose the correct form: “He acts as if he ____ every capital city in the world” (knew / knows).

    knew

    After “as if” for an improbable or untrue present state, English uses the modal past/subjunctive “knew”.

  5. 5. In the sentence “Water freezes at 0 °C at standard pressure”, what grammatical mood is the verb “freezes”: Indicative or Subjunctive?

    Indicative

    The indicative mood states a factual assertion or observation.

  6. 6. 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).

  7. 7. 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”.

  8. 8. 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”.

  9. 9. Choose the correct form: “The editor demanded that the fabricated quotation ____ removed immediately” (be / was).

    be

    “Demanded that” requires the mandative subjunctive “be”.

  10. 10. 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”.

  11. 11. Choose the correct form: “It is important that a scientific hypothesis ____ testable and falsifiable” (be / are).

    be

    “It is important that…” takes the mandative subjunctive “be”.

  12. 12. Choose the correct form: “The bylaws require that the treasurer ____ an audited statement every year” (submit / submits).

    submit

    “Require that” takes the mandative subjunctive base verb “submit”.

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification