The subjunctive: it's essential that everyone be honest – subjunctive exercises for formal requests

This C1 drill lesson gives subjunctive exercises for formal English: the base form after demands and needs, were in unreal situations and fixed phrases.

Grammar: Suggest, insist, demand or It's vital + that + base form, with not and the passive; a demand or a fact after insist and suggest; If I were you; as it were, so be it, come what may.
Topic: Workplace rules: an invented company's new code of conduct in a CEO memo, with a team leader's email, an FAQ, town hall notes and a coworker's texts.
Activities: True or false, sorting, choices, gap-fills, tables, matching, quizzes, word order, drag-and-drop texts, a memory game and a chat.

What's inside

Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: the subjunctiveGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the phrases: that + base form or an ordinary verb?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the subjunctive form after thatChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: change the verb to the base formFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2We insist that he be…
- Choose the right words: verb + that + base formChoose the optionTry it
- Fill in the gaps: that + subject + base formFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right words: negatives and passives after thatChoose the optionUnlock
- Read the meeting notes and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Fill in the table: report the requests with the base formFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: verb + thatUnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 3It's essential that…
- Fill in the gaps: It's essential / vital that + base formFill in the gapsTry it
- Choose the subjunctive form: adjectives and nounsChoose the optionUnlock
- Sort the sentences: a demand or a fact?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Choose the right form: a demand (base form) or a fact (ordinary tense)?Choose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right meaningQuizUnlock
- Read the camp letter and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: It's vital that…UnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 4If I were you, as it were
- Choose the right words: were in unreal situationsChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: be in unreal situationsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Match the phrases with their meaningsMatchTry it
- Choose the right words: fixed phrasesChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: fixed phrasesFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the wedding toast and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: were and fixed phrasesUnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: A memo from the top
- Read the CEO's memoReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the memo again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read the team leader's email and fill in the gaps with the subjunctiveFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the ethics team's FAQ and choose the subjunctiveChoose the optionUnlock
- Read the town hall notes and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Hamid texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the subjunctive: at home, at school and at workChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: requests and advice with the base formFill in the gapsUnlock
- Drag the words into the gaps: rules, wishes and fixed phrasesDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: formal requestsUnjumbleUnlock
- Sort the sentences: correct or incorrect?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Fill in the table: say it in formal English with the subjunctiveFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: at home and at workQuizUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: two ways to say itMemory gameUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: wishes and unreal situationsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right form at home and at work: a request (base form) or a fact?Choose the optionUnlock
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or false: everyday EnglishTrue or falseUnlock
- Read the clinic's note and fill in the gaps with the subjunctiveFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the review and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock

Grammar: the subjunctive: that + subject + base form

After words that make a demand, a proposal or a need, formal English uses that + subject + the base form: We ask that he arrive at nine. One verb form serves every person and every time: no -s, no past, no do. Should + base form is correct too.

The subjunctive: it's essential that everyone be honest

In formal English, a demand, a proposal or a need is followed by that + the base form: We ask that he arrive at nine.

Verbs, adjectives and nouns that call for it

The verbs include suggest, recommend, insist, demand, request and require; the adjectives, essential, vital, crucial and important; the nouns, demand, proposal and suggestion: Our suggestion that the office close early was accepted.

that + subject + base form

suggest / insist / It's vital…thatsubjectbase form

The union demanded that the director resign.

It is essential that every guest be on time.

We ask that visitors not use flash.

Words that take that + base form

Kind	Words	Example
Verbs	suggest, recommend, propose, advise, insist, demand, request, ask, require, urge, order	She insisted that he apologize.
Adjectives	It is essential / vital / crucial / important / imperative / necessary / advisable that…	It is important that he feel welcome.
Nouns	the demand / request / recommendation / requirement / suggestion / proposal that…	Our suggestion that the office close early was accepted.

Negatives, passives and should

The negative puts not before the base form: We ask that he not use his phone. The passive is be + past participle: We request that the room be cleaned. Should + base form fits after every trigger, and British English often uses an ordinary verb here.

One form for every person and every time

What you need	Ordinary verb	After that: base form
he / she / it	He arrives at nine.	We ask that he arrive at nine.
be	She is ready.	It's vital that she be ready.
the past	He left early.	They insisted that he leave early.
the negative	He doesn't use his phone.	We ask that he not use his phone.
the passive	The room is cleaned.	We request that the room be cleaned.
with should	–	We suggest that he should arrive at nine. (also correct)

should, and British English

should + base form is correct everywhere: We recommend that every employee should complete the course. British English also often uses an ordinary verb here (that he completes). In formal American English the base form is the norm, and the exercises that ask for the subjunctive or the base form want it.

A demand or a fact?

After insist and suggest, the meaning decides. A demand or proposal takes the base form: The coach insisted that Tom sit on the bench. A fact or claim keeps its ordinary tense: Tom insisted that he was fine. The figures suggest that sales are falling.

a demand or a proposal: base form

The coach insisted that Tom sit on the bench. (He told him to.)
Her doctor suggested that she take a week off. (= said it was a good idea)

a fact or a claim: ordinary tense

Tom insisted that he was fine. (He said it firmly.)
The figures suggest that sales are falling. (= show)

Were and the fixed phrases

Were goes with every person in unreal situations: I wish she were here. In speech, was is common too. Some phrases keep the old forms: as it were (so to speak), be that as it may, so be it, come what may, if need be.

were for every person in unreal situations: If I were you, I'd wait. · I wish she were here. In everyday speech, was is common too.
Were + subject, without if, is formal and needs were: Were she here, she'd agree.
as it were = so to speak: She is, as it were, the voice of the team.
be that as it may = that may be true, but…: It's late. Be that as it may, we must finish.
so be it = then I accept it: If it costs more, so be it.
come what may = regardless of what happens: Come what may, we'll stick together.
if need be = if necessary: We'll work late if need be.
suffice it to say = I'll say only this: Suffice it to say, it went badly.
far be it from me to … = I don't want to criticize, but…: Far be it from me to give advice, but…

Mistakes to avoid

Suggest, insist and demand never take someone + to: She suggested him to see a doctor is wrong. Also watch for that he doesn't be late, that the papers to be signed and If I would be you.

She suggested him to see a doctor.
She suggested that he see a doctor.
suggest / insist / demand + that + clause, never + someone + to
It's vital that he doesn't be late.
It's vital that he not be late.
the negative: not + base form
The bank asked that the papers to be signed.
The bank asked that the papers be signed.
no to before the base form
If I would be you, I'd call her.
If I were you, I'd call her.
an unreal if: were, never would be

Examples

The committee proposed that the meeting be moved to Friday.proposed that + base form: be
It is crucial that the team win this game.crucial that + base form: win, not wins
My doctor recommended that I not drink coffee after 4 p.m.the negative: not + base form
The neighbors demanded that Leo pay for the broken window.demanded that + base form: pay, not paid
He insisted that he had locked the car.a fact, not a demand: an ordinary tense
If I were a cat, I'd sleep all day.were for I in an unreal situation

Try the subjunctive exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

What's in the lesson

41 auto-checked exercises
5 games
1 real-life document
1 grammar scheme
1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

follow suggest, insist or demand that with the base form for every person: The union demanded that the company raise wages.
use the same form after It's essential, vital or crucial that: It is crucial that the door be locked at night.
make the negative and the passive: We ask that visitors not feed the animals. The judge ordered that the documents be destroyed.
tell a demand from a fact: Maria insisted that her son leave, but Maria insisted that her son had left
use were and fixed phrases: If I were you, I'd ask for a raise. If my parents don't like my fiancé, so be it.

Grammar:: subjunctive · suggest / recommend / insist that + base form · It is essential that · If I were you · as it were / so be it
Topic:: grammar practice · workplace rules · business English · formal writing

Teaching tips

Draft house rules together: groups write five rules for an imaginary hotel with We ask that…, It is essential that… and We insist that…, then swap papers and check each other's verbs.
Act out insist both ways: one student says I insist that you stay!, another I insist that I was at home!, and the class decides which one is a demand and which a claim.
Answer the CEO's memo: after the real-life chapter, each student writes a two-line reply with one base-form verb and one fixed phrase, such as Be that as it may.

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · C1

English Grammar Practice · C1 has 16 drill lessons on advanced grammar, one point each: inversion, cleft sentences, the subjunctive, advanced passives, ellipsis, nominalization, hedging, fronting and concession. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

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