EnglishAges 16-18

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

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

New variation Try interactive challenge Browse templates

Age band:Ages 13-15 Ages 16-18

Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. Use your browser’s paper setting for A4 or Letter.

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Choose the correct form: “The judge ordered that the witness ____ the courtroom” (leave / leaves).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
2. Choose the correct form: “The examiner requested that each candidate ____ their candidate number in ink” (write / writes).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
3. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “I wish it ____ possible to observe the eclipse from our island tonight” (were / was).
Choose the correct counter… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
4. 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…
5. Choose the correct form: “Take shelter immediately lest the storm ____ you in the open channel” (catch / catches).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
6. In the fixed expression “Suffice it to say, the experiment succeeded”, what mood is “Suffice”: Subjunctive or Interrogative?
“Suffice” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
7. Choose the correct form: “The editor demanded that the fabricated quotation ____ removed immediately” (be / was).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
8. 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…
9. 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…
10. Choose the correct form: “It is important that a scientific hypothesis ____ testable and falsifiable” (be / are).
Choose the correct form “I… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
11. Choose the correct inverted conditional: “____ the sensor to fail, the backup alarm would sound immediately” (Were / Was).
Choose the correct inverte… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
12. In the sentence “Verify the data before you publish”, what grammatical mood is the verb “Verify”: Imperative, Subjunctive, or Interrogative?
“Verify” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…

12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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”.
2. Choose the correct form: “The examiner requested that each candidate ____ their candidate number in ink” (write / writes).
write
“Requested that” takes the base-form mandative subjunctive “write”.
3. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “I wish it ____ possible to observe the eclipse from our island tonight” (were / was).
were
After “I wish”, counterfactual present states take the subjunctive “were”.
4. 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”.
5. Choose the correct form: “Take shelter immediately lest the storm ____ you in the open channel” (catch / catches).
catch
Conjunction “lest” traditionally takes the subjunctive base verb (“catch”).
6. In the fixed expression “Suffice it to say, the experiment succeeded”, what mood is “Suffice”: Subjunctive or Interrogative?
Subjunctive
“Suffice it to say” preserves a classic formulaic subjunctive.
7. Choose the correct form: “The editor demanded that the fabricated quotation ____ removed immediately” (be / was).
be
“Demanded that” requires the mandative subjunctive “be”.
8. 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”).
9. 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.
10. 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”.
11. 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…”).
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Choose the correct form: “The judge ordered that the witness ____ the courtroom” (leave / leaves).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
2. Choose the correct form: “The examiner requested that each candidate ____ their candidate number in ink” (write / writes).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
3. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “I wish it ____ possible to observe the eclipse from our island tonight” (were / was).
Choose the correct counter… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
4. 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…
5. Choose the correct form: “Take shelter immediately lest the storm ____ you in the open channel” (catch / catches).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
6. In the fixed expression “Suffice it to say, the experiment succeeded”, what mood is “Suffice”: Subjunctive or Interrogative?
“Suffice” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
7. Choose the correct form: “The editor demanded that the fabricated quotation ____ removed immediately” (be / was).
Choose the correct form “T… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
8. 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…
9. 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…
10. Choose the correct form: “It is important that a scientific hypothesis ____ testable and falsifiable” (be / are).
Choose the correct form “I… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
11. Choose the correct inverted conditional: “____ the sensor to fail, the backup alarm would sound immediately” (Were / Was).
Choose the correct inverte… · Subjunctive mood & conditi…
12. In the sentence “Verify the data before you publish”, what grammatical mood is the verb “Verify”: Imperative, Subjunctive, or Interrogative?
“Verify” · Subjunctive mood & conditi…

12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Subjunctive mood & conditionals

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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”.
2. Choose the correct form: “The examiner requested that each candidate ____ their candidate number in ink” (write / writes).
write
“Requested that” takes the base-form mandative subjunctive “write”.
3. Choose the correct counterfactual form: “I wish it ____ possible to observe the eclipse from our island tonight” (were / was).
were
After “I wish”, counterfactual present states take the subjunctive “were”.
4. 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”.
5. Choose the correct form: “Take shelter immediately lest the storm ____ you in the open channel” (catch / catches).
catch
Conjunction “lest” traditionally takes the subjunctive base verb (“catch”).
6. In the fixed expression “Suffice it to say, the experiment succeeded”, what mood is “Suffice”: Subjunctive or Interrogative?
Subjunctive
“Suffice it to say” preserves a classic formulaic subjunctive.
7. Choose the correct form: “The editor demanded that the fabricated quotation ____ removed immediately” (be / was).
be
“Demanded that” requires the mandative subjunctive “be”.
8. 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”).
9. 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.
10. 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”.
11. 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…”).
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification