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Verb Tenses & Mood

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by chaitanya.mehrotra » Sat Jul 09, 2011 3:33 am
Original:Water freezes if it were cooled to zero degrees Celsius

Correction: Water freezes if it is cooled to zero degrees Celsius

Doubt:I can make out by reading that is should be used but the official explanation below about subjunctive mood / indicative mood is not clear.

Were (present tense of the hypothetical subjunctive mood) should be is (present tense of the indicative mood). This sentence is stating a general rule that admits of no uncertainty, so the if-clause must be in the indicative mood. You can also omit a tensed verb altogether from the if-clause: Water freezes if cooled to zero degrees Celsius
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Source: — Sentence Correction |

by kksekar » Mon May 28, 2012 3:56 am
some one please reply to this question
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by Ashujain » Mon May 28, 2012 5:14 am
chaitanya.mehrotra wrote:Original:Water freezes if it were cooled to zero degrees Celsius

Correction: Water freezes if it is cooled to zero degrees Celsius

Doubt:I can make out by reading that is should be used but the official explanation below about subjunctive mood / indicative mood is not clear.

Were (present tense of the hypothetical subjunctive mood) should be is (present tense of the indicative mood). This sentence is stating a general rule that admits of no uncertainty, so the if-clause must be in the indicative mood. You can also omit a tensed verb altogether from the if-clause: Water freezes if cooled to zero degrees Celsius

"Were" with a singular subject in an "if" statement is used when the author is talking about any hypothetical situation.
Ex: If I were a rich man, I would travel around the world.
This sentence means that presently I am not rich. I am talking about a hypothetical situation.
But the sentence: Water freezes if it were cooled to zero degrees Celsius, is talking about a general rule and not any hypothetical situation and hence it should be - Water freezes if it is cooled to zero degrees Celsius.

Hope it helps!
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by jimmyjimmy » Mon May 28, 2012 5:37 pm
moreover its a rule to use sentences in present tense which are universal facts and rules or quotes
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by Cumulonimbus » Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:14 pm
What is the meaning of present tense of hypothetical subjunctive mood and present tense of indicative mood?
Can someone explain with examples ?
Hypothetical subjunctive is only - Simple past forms or were.
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