Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[iloveyou]

Subjunctive Mood

1.
When using 'suppose' 'provide',
does it come with present mode or past mode?

example)
suppose you are a millionaire
suppose you were a millionaire

provided you are a millionaire
provided you were a millionaire

2.
Subjuctive mood is used when describing the opposite of the real situation.
Does it apply to suppose and provided as well?

Thanks
Yun

[pugachevV]

You should use the subjunctive with suppose, because it describes a hypothetical situation
Suppose you were king...and also with provided, which sets out conditions.
Provided you arrive early

However, nowadays, in everyday speech, in particula, and even in scholarly writing, the subjunctive is very much neglected.