LITTLE OLD LADY WITH THE RED PURSE

#2 Grammar Review -- Subjunctive Mood

Ok, I’m giving my friend, The Little Old Lady With The Red Purse, another chance to do a grammar review on my blog. She’s bound & determined to help you stand out from the crowd — by using the little-known subjective mood correctly. Oh boy!

Everyone knows verbs come in different tenses in the English language:  present, past, future. But few people know verbs also come in MOODS.  The three most common are indicative, imperative and subjunctive.  

But what is a MOOD?  It’s actually the attitude of the speaker.  Is the speaker or the writer making a statement, command, request, or a hypothetical comment? 

In 1962 J. Walter Thompson, the largest ad agency in America, ran a contest to create a jingle for Oscar Mayer. Richard Trentlage, an ad man from Chicago, won with “The Weiner Song” — using the Subjunctive Mood. There have been many versions of the song over the years.  Do you remember it?

Here’s The Little Old Lady With The Red Purse trying to explain Subjective Mood in her own unique way.

If you want to know more about the other Verb Moods, check out this link. If not,

It’ll Be OK.

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“The problem with having a sense of humor is often people you use it on aren’t in a very good mood.” ~ Lou Holtz

COMMENT: WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE CONCERNING ENGLISH GRAMMAR?