SAT Writing › Correcting Verb Mood Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repreoduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
If I was you, I wouldn't treat my brothers so poorly; they grow up faster than you think.
If I were you
If I is you
If I are you
If I was you
If I wasn't you
The subjunctive mood is used when a sentence is intended to express doubt or possibility, rather than a hard truth. In the sentence above, because the word "if" begins the sentence, we know that the subjunctive should be used. The correct subjunctive construction of the underlined portion above is "If I were you."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The general wished that his aid was more competent, but it was simply not the case.
The general wished that his aid were more competent
The general wished that his aids was more competent
The general wished that his aide was more competent
The general wishes that his aid was more competent
The general wished that his aid was more competent
Subjunctive mood is used when a sentence is intended to express doubt or possibility, rather than hard truth. In the sentence above, because of the word "wished" in the sentence, we know that subjunctive should be used. The underlined portion should read, "The general wished that his aid were more competent"
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
If he was more competent as a lawyer, he would make more money.
If he were more competent as a lawyer,
If he was more competent as a lawyer,
If he was competenter as a lawyer,
If he was competent as a lawyer,
If he was more competent as a lawyer;
Subjunctive mood is used when a sentence is intended to express doubt or possibility, rather than hard truth. In the sentence above, because of the word "if" in the sentence, we know that subjunctive should be used. The underlined portion should read, "If he were more competent as a lawyer,"
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repreoduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The General wished that his subordinate was more loyal, but it was not the case.
subordinate were more loyal
subordinate was more loyal
subordinate was most loyal
subordinate was loyaler
subordinate was loyalest
The subjunctive mood is used when a sentence is intended to express doubt or possibility, rather than a hard truth. In the sentence above, because the word "wished" is in the sentence, we know that the subjunctive should be used. The correct subjunctive construction of the underlined portion above is "subordinate were more loyal."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repreoduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The President requires that everyone is respectful during visits to the White House.
everyone be respectful
everyone are respectful
everyone is respectful
everyone was respectful
everyone were respectful
The subjunctive mood is used when a sentence is intended to express doubt or possibility, rather than hard truth. In the sentence above, because the word "requires" precedes the subordinate clause, thus making this a requirement or request for possible future behavior, as opposed to an expression of actual behavior that is occuring. The correct subjunctive construction of the underlined portion above is "everyone be respectful."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
In the middle of the drought, she looked out the window and thought, “Even if I were to lavish all my attention on the plants in the garden, they would still be killed by this heat.”
were to
am to
was to
will
do
This sentence is correct as it is. Here, the statement in quotation marks is a counterfactual statement. This means that it talks about something that isn't actually the case in reality. The narrator is thinking about what might happen if she lavished care on her plants, but in reality, she is not lavishing care on her plants. Counterfactual statements use the verbs in the subjunctive. “Were” is the subjunctive form of the English verb “to be” (or “am,” in this sentence).
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repreoduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The doctor insists that I be still during my examination.
I be still
I were still
I am still
I was still
I will be still
The subjunctive mood is used when a sentence is intended to express doubt or possibility, rather than a hard truth. In the sentence above, because the word "insists" precedes the subordinate clause in the second part of the sentence, we know that the subjunctive should be used. The correct subjunctive construction of the underlined portion above is "I be still." The sentence is correct as written.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a setence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
If I were President for a day, I would try to solve the gridlock in Congress.
If I were President for a day
If I was President for a day
Be I were President for a day
If I be President for a day
If I were President on a day
The subjunctive verb mood is used when a sentence is intended to express doubt or possibility, rather than a hard truth. In the sentence above, because the word "if" begins the sentence, we know that subjunctive should be used. The sentence is correct as it is written.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
If humans could fly, they will need gigantic wings and huge chest muscles to control those wings.
would need
may need
needed
were needing
will need
This sentence expresses a counterfactual statement, so it needs verbs in the subjunctive mood. “Could” can be thought of as a past subjunctive form of the verb “can,” so there is no problem with the first part of the sentence; however, the verb in the second part of the sentence, “will need,” is in the indicative mood, not the subjunctive. To correct this, we have to change “will need” to its past subjunctive form, “would need.”
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
According to the email that my boss sent, it is absolutely necessary that we all are on time to work.
be
are
were
will be
being
In English, the subjunctive mood of verbs is often used after certain expressions like “it is necessary that” or “it is important that.” The subjunctive is used to talk about wishes, desires, or thoughts about things that aren't actually the case. In this sentence, the expression “it is necessary that” introduces a phrase that must use the subjunctive, because it expresses something that the boss desires. So, we have to change the verb “are,” which is in the indicative mood, to its subjunctive form, “be.”