MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

What is the primary purpose of the subjunctive mood in English?

1. To express a completed action

2. To indicate a wish or contrary state

3. To form a question

4. To convey certainty

The correct answer is: To indicate a wish or contrary state

The subjunctive mood in English serves to express wishes, hypothetical situations, doubts, or conditions that are contrary to fact. For instance, when someone says, "I wish it were summer," the use of "were" instead of "was" indicates a desire for something that is not currently true. This mood captures a sense of longing or a scenario that is not aligned with reality, which is why indicating a wish or contrary state is the primary purpose of the subjunctive mood. Other options focus on different grammatical functions: expressing a completed action pertains to the past or perfect tenses, while forming a question relates to sentence structure rather than mood. Finally, conveying certainty aligns more with the indicative mood, which states facts or asks questions confidently. Therefore, the subjunctive's unique role is fundamentally about exploring possibilities and desires rather than affirming what is or has been.