English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
Handling Subjunctives
It’s time we go home (nonstandard).
It’s time we went home (standard).
Note: If ‘to’ follows “it’s time”, the verb will not be in the past:
It’s time to go home (standard).
I would rather you go tomorrow (nonstandard).
I would rather you went tomorrow (standard).
Supposing you are God, it won’t rain (nonstandard).
Supposing you were God, it won’t rain (standard).
GAB
2 Comments
Many thanks for your frequent updates on the dynamics of good expression. Sir, don’t you think when the subjunctive ‘supposing’ is used, it should attract a past tense of a very in the main clause? Thank you in anticipation for your response.
Thanks for this sir.
Why is the second clause not having a verb in past form?
I think it should rather be:
Supposing you were God,it wouldn’t rain.
(Second conditional).