Mood - Subjunctive, Interrogative, Imperative (captions)

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• published: 03 Apr 2014
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An overview of the Subjunctive, Interrogative, and Imperative moods in English. --- Welcome. Today, let's talk about mood. Walter Burns: 365 days in a year and this has to be the day. What moods? Interrogative Imperative Subjunctive Hildy: That's what I thought. Come on, I'm in a hurry Let's start with the Imperative Mood. It is used for two things: Orders and Requests. Walter Burns: Go on, take it. Work for somebody else. Reporter: Give me the desk Reporter2: Give me the phone Walter Burns: Get back in there you mock-turtle Verbs in the Imperative mood are always in the present tense. Sherriff: Speak up! Speak up! Hildy: Yes, go on. Smear it all over the front page. Walter Burns: Listen, I made a great reporter out of you Hildy. But you won't be half as good on any other paper and you know it. (Meaningless Squabble). Hildy: Sold! To the American Guess who? Guess What? Guess how? Should be: Guess who. Guess What. Guess how. Because they are all imperative. Walter Burns; Now look here you-- She hung up! What did I say? Let's go to the Interrogative. It is used for one thing: Questions Hildy's Mother in Law: What' sin there? Walter Burns: Who are you? Hildy's Mother in Law: What are you doing? Walter: Who is she? Sherriff: You mean me? Walter Burns: Yes you. What do you mean by breaking in here like this -- hmm? Hildy: Is there anything you remember? Anything in particular? Commands in the Imperative mood often come off as harsh. Changing commands into questions can soften them, making them more polite. For example, "give me one," becomes: "Oh, may I have one of those?" Sometimes the difference is subtle. "Let her alone," becomes, "Let her alone, will you, buddy?" Lastly, let's talk about the Subjunctive Mood. It is used for: Wishes, Hopes, Hypothetical Situations, and anything contrary to fact. Walter Burns: What's the idea here? Wishing something means it either: A. Hasn't happened yet B. Isn't true Hypothetical Situations such as: "If I were Santa..." are untrue (and subjunctive) because you are not Santa Hildy: I don't blame you Earl. If I were you, I wouldn't trust anybody either. Note that it is always; "If I were," not "If I was." Hildy: That was the one we were to have right after the honeymoon. Walter: Now look here, madam, be honest. If you were out joy-riding, plastered, or got into some scrape, why don't you admit it instead of accusing innocent people? This is because in the subjunctive, the verb "to be" becomes "Be" in the present tense (if I be). "Were" in most other tenses (If I were). Verbs that insist upon something different than reality often attract the subjunctive mood: as if, if, pray, hope that. Walter: If you'd have been a gentlemen you would have forgotten all about it. But not you-- For the present tense, use the infinitive of the verb (without the to). Ex: run, see, think. Past tense verbs remain in the past tense indicative form. Ex: ran, see, think. Now, how can you use this? Earl: Everything should be made use of. Hildy: Makes a lot of sense doesn't it? Earl: Yes. Your writing will become more dynamic, more powerful, when you vary the moods inside your writing. So what are you waiting for? Get writing! The end.