Verbs - Mood

This property shows the manner in which a verb describes the action or state of being in a sentence. There are three moods in English— Imperative, Indicative and Subjunctive.

Imperative Mood

This mood is used for expressing a command or a request.

For example:

Jump! (Command) Go there. (Command) Please sit down. (Request)

[Note: The subject in an imperative mood is always ‘you’ and it is usually not expressed.]

Indicative Mood

This mood is used for stating facts and asking questions.

For example:

The soldier is fighting his brother. (Stating a fact) Do you want to come with me? (Asking a question)

Subjunctive Mood

This mood is used for expressing a wish, doubt/uncertainty or something opposed to fact.

For example:

If I were the king of this land, then I would free all the prisoners. (Expressing a wish; the wish is ‘to be the king of this land’) I wish I had said something to her. (Expressing a wish; the wish is ‘to say something to her’) I cannot say for sure if they know me. (Expressing a doubt; the doubt is ‘they know me or not?’) If he does not come to office tomorrow, then you shall complete the pending work. (Expressing something uncertain; the uncertainty is ‘will he come to office tomorrow or not?’) They continued with their work as if I was not there. (Expressing something opposed to fact; the fact is ‘I am there’)