The Grammatical Category of Mood

The problem of the category of mood i.e., the distinction, between the real and unreal expressed by the corresponding forms of the verb is one of the most controversial problems of English theoretical grammar.

In linguistics, grammatical mood (also mode) is a grammatical (usually morphologically marked) feature of verbs, used for signaling modality. That is, it is the use of verbal inflections—known as grammatical conjugation—that allow speakers to express their attitude toward what they are saying (e.g. a statement of fact, of desire, of command, etc.). Less commonly, the term is used more broadly to allow for the syntactic expression of modality — that is, the use of non-inflectional phrases.

Mood is distinct from grammatical tense or grammatical aspect, although the same word patterns are used for expressing more than one of these meanings at the same time in many languages, including English and most other modern Indo-European languages. (See tense–aspect–mood for a discussion of this.)

English moods (imperative, indicative, and subjunctive)

In a sentence, the grammatical mood conveys the speaker’s attitude about the state of being of what the sentence describes. This may sound a little complicated, but it’s simple enough: In the indicative mood, for instance, the speaker is sure that something is the case, while in the imperative mood the speaker desires that something should happen.

Mood is only one of many verb properties, others being tense, aspect, and voice. It is expressed through the sentence’s verbs and grammatical structure. For example, a sentence that lacks a subject and begins with a present-tense verb is likely imperative, and a sentence that begins with if and uses past-tense verbs is likely subjunctive.

Linguists have defined dozens of moods used in languages throughout the world, but English only uses three.

Indicative mood

The indicative mood is used to make factual statements, ask questions, or express opinions as if they were facts. Any verb tense may be deployed in the indicative mood.

The following sentences are statements of fact or belief, so they are in the indicative mood:

• I saw something today that really annoyed me.

• He lives most of the year in Spain but returns regularly to visit his ailing mother.

• Vikings will be the new vampires.

• Prosecutors have not said whether they will appeal the decision.

Imperative mood

A sentence in the imperative mood expresses commands or requests. It indicates that the speaker desires for the action expressed in the sentence to take place. In most imperative sentences, there’s an implied you. These sentences are in the imperative mood:

• Sit on the sofa.

• Let me go to bed

• Keep reading.

Subjunctive mood

The subjunctive mood is complicated. There are two entirely different kinds of subjunctive forms: the old simple subjunctive and newer forms consisting of a modal auxiliary and a dependent infinitive of the verb to be used. The function of the Subjunctive is to represent something not as an actual reality, but as formed in the mind of the speaker as a desire, wish, volition, plan, conception, thought, sometimes with more or less hope of realization. The present subjunctive is associated with the idea of hopeless, likelihood, while the past subjunctive indicates doubt, unlikelihood:

• I desire that he go at once.

• I fear he may come too late.

• I would have bought it if I had had money