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What is the subjunctive? (ctd)As a general rule, the subjunctive is a special verb form used to express a "non-assertion". Assertions versus non-assertionsTypically, a sentence conveys one or more assertions. An assertion means something like "a statement about the world that can be agreed with or denied". For example, consider the following sentence:
This sentence conveys the assertion that John said something, and it also conveys the assertion that Mary quit. Now consider a possible response to this sentence: The second speaker's response (Yes, I know) is ambiguous: it could mean Yes, I know he did, or Yes, I know she did. In other words, it could be agreeing with either of the two assertions. Now consider the following exchange: In this case, the response Yes, I know can only mean Yes, I know he does; it can't mean anything like Yes, I know she will, Yes, I know she might etc. That's because in this case there is only one assertion: namely, the fact that John wants something. The phrase Mary to quit is not an assertion. (We could say that it is an imagined situation rather than a statement that the situation did or didn't occur.) Here are some more example English sentences, many of which contain non-assertions (the phrases underlined). In each case, imagine saying Yes, I know after the sentence. Consider whether or not this would be a valid response at all, and if so, which part of the sentence it could and couldn't acknowledge.
They wanted him to come back.
Him moving to France is a bit drastic. We need to put it away before the boss gets back. Put it away before the boss gets back. The president insisted that the troops be withdrawn. It is regrettable that he should feel upset. Nobody move! It might rain, but I still have enough dry clothes. Let it rain: I still have enough dry clothes!  Suggest a change / proposez une modificationAs these examples show, in English, non-assertions are often expressed with formulae such as:
that X should ...
that X might ... that X be ... X ...ing (for) X to ... let X ... Suggest a change / proposez une modificationThese constructions are all used to "imagine a snapshot of a situation", rather than to assert that that situation will, won't, did or didn't occur. Where these kinds of construction are used in English, it's common for the French equivalent to use the subjunctive. On the next page, we look in more detail at when to use the subjunctive in French.
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