ONE RULE A DAY:MANDATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE

English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)

ONE RULE A DAY: MANDATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE

I pray God ~helps~ us in Nigeria (nonstandard).
I pray God help us in Nigeria (standard).

We recommended he ~calls~ people to a meeting (nonstandard).
We recommended he call people to a meeting (standard).

This is one of the exceptions to the singular noun-singular verb rule of concord. When demand, wish, resolution, prayer, suggestion and recommendation are expressed in a sentence, the verb will be in plural form, notwithstanding the form of the subject.
GAB