subjunctive mood

(noun)

Expresses situations that are hypothetical or conditional. 

Related Terms

Examples of subjunctive mood in the following topics:

  • Verb Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, and Imperative

    • In English, there are many grammatical moods, but by far the most common are the indicative, the imperative, the subjunctive, and the conditional.
    • The subjunctive mood is not commonly used in English.
    • Usually, the subjunctive mood is used in a dependent clause.
    • [Main clause "I wish" is factual and in indicative mood; dependent clause "Paul would eat" is hypothetical and in subjunctive mood.]
    • [Main clause "I suggest" is factual and in indicative mood; dependent clause "we wait until" is hypothetical and in subjunctive mood.]

  • Introduction to Verbs: Tense, Aspect, and Mood

    • All verbs have tense, aspect, and mood, of which there is a wide variety of combinations.
    • Verb mood is to the "attitude" of the verb.
    • Mood can be expressed in any verb tense. 
    • The three main moods used in English are indicative, subjunctive, imperative.
    • The subjunctive mood is for hypothetical situations, emotions, or making requests.

  • Linguistic Relativity

    • For instance, studies have not shown that speakers of languages lacking a subjunctive mood (such as Chinese) experience difficulty with hypothetical problems.

  • Moods

  • Moods in Dependent Clauses

  • How Emotion and Mood Influence Behavior

    • Emotions and mood can affect temperament, personality, disposition, and motivation.
    • Emotions and mood can cloud judgment and reduce rationality in decision-making.
    • All moods can affect judgment, perception, and physical and emotional well-being.
    • In contrast, a positive mood can enhance creativity and problem solving.
    • Job satisfaction can affect a person's mood and emotional state.

  • Explaining Mood Disorders

    • Mood disorders are psychological disorders characterized by dysfunctional moods, including depression, bipolar, dysthymia, and cyclothymia.
    • Mood disorders (also called affective disorders) characterize a group of psychological disorders where disturbance in the person's mood is thought to be the main underlying feature.
    • While everyone experiences negative mood at some point in their lives, mood disorders affect an individual's capacity to function in daily life.
    • Usually, moods are normal in between the "highs" and "lows".
    • Mood disorders may also be an evolutionary adaptation: a low or depressed mood can increase an individual's ability to cope with situations in which the effort to pursue a major goal could result in danger, loss, or wasted effort.

  • The Passive Voice

    • The passive voice occurs in both indicative and subjunctive but uses the same endings in each.

  • Bipolar Disorders

    • Bipolar disorders are debilitating mood disorders characterized by periods of mania/hypomania and periods of depression.
    • Bipolar disorder (commonly referred to as manic-depression) is a mood disorder characterized by periods of elevated mood and periods of depression.
    • A psychiatric mood disorder in children, it is characterized by persistently irritable or angry mood with recurrent, severe temper outbursts.
    • These neurotransmitters are important regulators of the bodily functions that are disrupted in mood disorders, including appetite, sex drive, sleep, arousal, and mood.
    • Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood-stabilizing medications and psychotherapy.

  • Depressive Disorders

    • Clinical depression is characterized by pervasive and persistent low mood that is accompanied by low self-esteem and a loss of interest.
    • Major depressive disorder (also called major depression and clinical depression) is a mood disorder characterized by a pervasive and persistent low mood that is accompanied by low self-esteem and by a loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities.
    • One of the symptoms must either be a depressed mood or an inability to experience pleasure in activities that were formerly enjoyed.
    • Antidepressants (usually SSRIs) have been shown to cause significant improvement in the mood of those with very severe depression.
    • Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is a psychiatric disorder in children, characterized by persistently irritable or angry mood with recurrent, severe temper outbursts.