How would you examine a sentence to identify the subjunctive mood?

Question

1. determine whether its action depends on another action
2. determine whether it makes a demand or an order
3. determine whether it poses a question
4. determine whether it expresses a wish

Answer 1

To identify the subjunctive mood in a sentence, you should primarily focus on option 1 and option 4:

1. Determine whether its action depends on another action: The subjunctive mood often expresses actions that are contingent or hypothetical, meaning they depend on certain conditions or situations that may not actually happen.

2. Determine whether it expresses a wish: The subjunctive mood is commonly used to express wishes, desires, or situations that are contrary to reality.

Options 2 and 3 do not specifically relate to the subjunctive mood. Demands or orders often use the imperative mood, and questions can be framed in various moods depending on the context.

In summary, the best approach is to focus on whether the sentence expresses a wish or is conditional upon another action.