3 USE OF TENSES

It is only in very careful written French that you are likely to encounter or need to use the imperfect and pluperfect subjunctives. See Chapter 27 for more information on these. Elsewhere the present subjunctive (or perfect subjunctive to refer to prior events – see below) should be used.

Note

Most subordinate clauses introduced by que do not take the subjunctive. Do not be tempted to use the subjunctive after conjunctions of time such as alors que, pendant que, after causative conjunctions such as parce que, puisque, or after positive statements of fact such as il est évident que, il dit/pense que.

See for further information: Coffman Crocker, pp. 195–213 Ferrar, pp. 50, 92–9

Hawkins and Towell, pp. 162, 257–74 Judge and Healey, pp. 131–53, 221 L’Huillier, pp. 153–9, 162–82 Price, pp. 363–82

Turk and Vandaele, pp. 216–19, 221–50

EXERCISES

1 Complete the following sentences in six different ways, supplying in turn the present subjunctive form of each verb listed.

a Il faut que tu _____________ (réfléchir; partir; s’en aller; recommencer; boire; se lever).

b Elle veut que nous ___________ (sortir; finir; chanter; faire un effort; apprendre ce poème;

s’en aller).

French Grammar in Context 176

c Il est nécessaire qu’il ____________ (travailler; maigrir; boire; pouvoir se détendre; prendre une douche; en savoir les résultats).

d Nous désirons que vous ___________ (se charger de cette tâche; finir votre travail; prendre l’apéritif avec nous; avoir le temps d’y penser; être prêt(s) à 19 heures).

2 Fill in the gaps in the following text with the appropriate present subjunctive forms of the verbs given in brackets.

Pour que le football (redevenir) ____________ un super rendez-vous sportif, il faut que tout le monde y (mettre) ___________ du sien. Il faut que les responsables des clubs (faire) ____________

retomber la pression. Il faut que les joueurs (respecter) ___________ les règles, ou (être)

________________sanctionnés. Il faut que les supporters (savoir) ____________ qu’il y a des limites à ne pas dépasser.

Okapi

3 Study the following sentences and decide whether the verb in italics is indicative or subjunctive. If you think it is subjunctive, identify the trigger which has occasioned use of the subjunctive.

a Je m’étonne que vous travailliez encore.

b Il est peu probable qu’il arrive ce soir.

c Ils sont partis sans que nous entendions le moindre bruit.

d Je veux qu’ils voient mon nouvel appartement.

e Il fait trop chaud pour que je travaille dehors.

f Pendant qu’il regarde la télévision, elle lit le journal.

g Connaissez-vous un endroit où l’on trouve de ces fleurs?

h Elle dit qu’il travaille trop.

i Je ne pense pas qu’il habite très loin d’ici.

j Il est évident que vous chantiez mieux que lui.

4 Complete the following sentences with the correct form (indicative or subjunctive as appropriate) of the verb in brackets.

a Il semble que vous (avoir) ____________ raison.

b Il est juste qu’il (être) ____________ puni.

c Il est probable qu’elle (arriver) _______________ demain.

d Je ne crois pas qu’il (savoir) _______________ nager.

e Je resterai ici jusqu’à ce qu’il (partir) ____________ .

f J’espère que vous (avoir) ___________ tout ce qu’il vous faut.

g Je viendrai vous chercher à l’aéroport, pourvu qu’elle me (permettre) ___________ de m’absenter du bureau.

h Je croyais qu’il (être) __________ malade.

5 Translate the following sentences into French. If the subject of both verbs in the sentence is the same, use an infinitive; if the verbs have different subjects, use the subjunctive.

a I want to change my job.

I want him to change his job.

b Before you leave, may I ask you a favour?

Before leaving, I gave her a ring.

c She is frightened of travelling alone.

He is afraid of her having an accident.

d He left without saying goodbye.

She left without his seeing her.

6 Translate into French, using the subjunctive where appropriate.

a Whatever you do, you can never please him.

b Although we like the town, we are not sorry to be leaving.

c He wants you to give him a ring tonight.

d He is the most outstanding student I know.

e Whatever his reasons may be, there can really be no excuse.

f He has ordered that the prisoners be released.

g I am afraid that he may come back later.

h Are you saying that he is lying?

i We are going to have lunch on the terrace unless it rains.

j It is possible that they may know the result already.

k He hopes that she will be back tonight.

l Whether he knows it or not, he is going to be elected president of the organization.

7 Oral work (pair work)

a Working with a partner, discuss what the government should do to improve conditions in higher education. Try to use expressions such as: il faut que, il faudrait que, il est essentiel que, il est grand temps que, il est important que + subjunctive as much as possible.

b Discuss how possible/probable it is that the following will happen:

• you will go to France this year

• you will win the National Lottery

• you will become a teacher

• contact will be established with alien life on another planet.

Try to use expressions such as il est possible que, il est peu probable que, je ne crois pas que + subjunctive where appropriate. Remember, however, that such expressions as il est probable que, je crois que take the indicative.

c Imagine that you have received the following items of news. Discuss your emotional reaction to each item:

• your parents are moving to a new area

• a friend has won a large sum of money in the National Lottery

• you have won a holiday in the Caribbean

• a friend has been involved in a road accident.

Remember to use the subjunctive after, e.g., craindre que, je suis content/désolé que, je regrette que, etc., but to use the indicative after, e.g., espérer que.

The subjunctive (present and perfect) 177

French Grammar in Context 178

«Mais non, se dit-il, ça ne peut pas être le rendez-vous de ce soir. Ce soir n’est pas encore venu et le rendez-vous a déjà eu lieu. C’était donc hier soir, probablement . . . . Quant à ces deux scènes où figure le même gamin, il faut que la seconde ait été antérieure, puisque, dans la première, l’enfant gît sur son lit de mort . . . .

5 Mais d’où viennent ces images?»

Text