SAT Grammar Strategy

Verb Mood and the Subjunctive on the SAT

The Easy Points Most Students Miss

Master sentence structure, punctuation, and clarity with repeatable rules.

6 Min Read

Grammar Rule

Clarity Focus

5 Practice Qs

Identify the subject and verb, then make sure punctuation does not split them or add extra ideas.

Find the subject + verb first. That is the sentence core.
Only add commas around extra information, never inside the core.
Re-read the sentence without the modifier to test clarity.

The SAT Reading and Writing section regularly tests a grammar concept that many people have never even heard of: the subjunctive mood, and most students have no idea it appears on the test. Although it sounds intimidating, the subjunctive mood is actually one of the most predictable patterns on the entire exam. Once you learn to spot a handful of trigger words, the correct answer practically jumps off the page.

This post will walk you through verb mood from the ground up, what it is, why it matters, and exactly how the SAT tries to trick you with it. By the end, you'll have a clear system for handling these questions in seconds. These are genuinely easy points once you know the pattern.

What Is Verb Mood?

In English, every verb carries a mood, a grammatical feature that tells us how the speaker feels about what they're saying. Is it a fact? A command? A wish? There are three moods you need to know:

Indicative mood, the default. Used for statements of fact and ordinary questions. This is the verb form you use 95% of the time.
Example: "She runs every morning."
Imperative mood, used for commands and directions. The subject "you" is implied and usually left out.
Example: "Close the door."
Subjunctive mood, used for wishes, demands, suggestions, and hypothetical or contrary-to-fact scenarios. This is the one the SAT cares about most.
Example: "The professor requires that each student submit a proposal."

You already use the indicative and imperative moods without thinking about them. The subjunctive is where things get interesting, and where the SAT sets its traps.

The Subjunctive: Two Patterns You Need to Know

The subjunctive shows up on the SAT in two specific forms. Learn both patterns and you'll cover every subjunctive question the test can throw at you.

Pattern 1: The Mandative Subjunctive (Demands, Recommendations, Suggestions)

When a sentence uses a verb or expression that signals a demand, recommendation, suggestion, or necessity, the verb in the "that" clause uses the bare infinitive, the base form of the verb with no endings. No -s, no -ed, no will or should.

Memorize these trigger words, they're your early-warning system:

Verbs: recommend, suggest, demand, require, insist, request, propose, urge, ask
Adjectives: essential, important, necessary, crucial, vital, imperative

Here's what the pattern looks like in action:

"The teacher recommends that every student read the chapter."
(Not "reads", even though "every student" is singular.)
"It is essential that the report be finished by Monday."
(Not "is finished", the subjunctive uses the bare infinitive "be.")

Notice how the subjunctive deliberately breaks the normal subject-verb agreement rules you've been taught. That's exactly what makes it tricky, and exactly why the SAT tests it. Your instinct says "the student reads," but the subjunctive says "the student read." Trust the trigger word, not your ear.

Pattern 2: The Were-Subjunctive (Hypotheticals and Contrary-to-Fact)

When a sentence describes something hypothetical, imaginary, or contrary to fact, use were for all subjects, including singular ones like I, he, she, and it.

Trigger phrases: "if [subject] were," "as if," "as though," "I wish"

"If she were taller, she could reach the top shelf."
(Not "was", she isn't tall, so this is contrary to fact.)
"He speaks as though he were an expert on the topic."
(Not "was", the implication is that he is not actually an expert.)

In casual speech, people say "if I was" or "if she was" all the time. That's fine in conversation. But on the SAT, hypothetical conditions require "were." Every time.

The SAT doesn't label these questions "subjunctive." You'll just see a sentence with an underlined verb and four answer choices. Here's your three-step system:

Scan for trigger words. Look for recommend, suggest, demand, require, insist, essential, important, necessary, or for if, as if, as though, I wish in a hypothetical context.
Identify the pattern. Is it a demand/recommendation (mandative) or a hypothetical (were-subjunctive)?
Choose the subjunctive form. For mandative: pick the bare infinitive (no -s, no -ed). For hypothetical: pick "were."

That's it. No deep analysis needed. If you see the trigger, you know the answer. These questions reward pattern recognition, not interpretation, which makes them some of the fastest points on the test.

One More Thing: Tense Doesn't Change the Subjunctive

Here's a detail that trips up even careful students. When the trigger verb is in the past tense, many students assume the verb in the "that" clause should also be past tense. It shouldn't. The subjunctive form stays the same regardless of when the action happened.

"The committee recommended that the policy be revised."
(Not "was revised", the subjunctive doesn't shift to match the past tense of "recommended.")
"The director insisted that the actor rehearse the scene again."
(Not "rehearsed", the base form stays.)

Practice Verb Mood and the Subjunctive with SAT-Style Questions

Let's put your new skills to work. These questions follow real SAT patterns, read each one carefully, spot the trigger, and pick the subjunctive form.

Passage

The guidance counselor recommends that each student ______ at least three colleges before making a final decision.

easy