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The sentence:

It's essential that the documents should be destroyed immediately.

Why can't ought to be used in place of should and why can't I go for would?

Юлия Семина
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    It's essential that you choose a relevant title for your question. :) – Færd Feb 10 '16 at 18:14
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    Because in mandative subjunctive constructions, the U.S. typically uses a bare infinitive (i.e., the subjunctive) while the U.K. typically uses should. And your grammar book is teaching you U.K. English. Why do we use these forms? I think it's the end result of a complicated historical process which started with should be and be being two alternative subjunctive constructions. – Peter Shor Feb 10 '16 at 18:17
  • With the death of the subjunctive, I believe are is becoming a widely used alternative in the U.K. (Although I'm not sure about this, because I speak U.S. English.) But I believe that options b, c, d are not generally used. See this reference. – Peter Shor Feb 10 '16 at 18:21
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    @PeterShor Do you mean that you would insert no word at all? It is essential that the documents be destroyed. Because I would find that equally idiomatic. I am not at all sure that I would use should - except perhaps for emphasis. – WS2 Feb 10 '16 at 18:25
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    @WS2: Yes, in formal English, Americans would typically insert no word at all. – Peter Shor Feb 10 '16 at 18:26
  • It partly depends on the exact context. If we know we're in a context where there are multiple possible plans under consideration, but the need to destroy those documents only applies to one specific plan currently being addressed in detail, *would* would be perfectly natural to me (since it's referencing an "irrealis" hypothetical situation that may not even be selected, let alone put into practice). – FumbleFingers Feb 10 '16 at 18:31
  • @FumbleFingers Are you able to elaborate a bit more on that, perhaps with the whole sentence? I can conceive of It would be essential that the documents be destroyed; but I'm having trouble withIt is essential that the documents would be destroyed... – WS2 Feb 10 '16 at 18:48
  • It is essential that whoever concocted that test be destroyed immediately. – Hot Licks Feb 10 '16 at 18:52
  • @WS2: If you don't accept, say, If we decide to go down that route, it's essential any illegal accomplices would be well-paid to ensure their silence, I doubt there's anything I could say that would change your mind. But on reflection, the fact that *I* would "tolerate" it doesn't necessarily imply it's "grammatical". So I'll cancel my downvote to your answer, since we're talking about "acceptability", not "strict grammar". – FumbleFingers Feb 10 '16 at 18:59
  • @FumbleFingers I'd feel more comfortable with ...it would be essential that any illegal accomplices be well-paid... And congratulations on scoring a century - a considerable achievement! – WS2 Feb 10 '16 at 19:03
  • @WS2: Since the beginning of the year I'd been throwing out another bounty every time I got close (didn't want to stick my head too far above the parapet! :). But then my pipe dream caught the attention of the SO multicollider overnight and crashed me right through my self-imposed glass ceiling. Rather endearingly, I got an email from SO a couple of days later asking for my real-world name and address, so they can send me a T-shirt (I'm hoping it'll say *I couldn't afford a funny one*, but I know that's a long shot! :) – FumbleFingers Feb 10 '16 at 19:18
  • @FumbleFingers Well done. Nice to see that the UK has two of the top three. I haven't seen anything from Barrie England for a long time. If he has retired you must be the presumed authority on the Queen's English. More than a T shirt, you may be in for an OBE! – WS2 Feb 10 '16 at 23:45
  • Thanks a lot for your comments! They are really helpful! Especially this one:" It is essential that whoever concocted that test be destroyed immediately. ":)))))))– Hot Licks 19 hours ago – Юлия Семина Feb 11 '16 at 14:20

1 Answers1

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The only one that fits grammatically is should.

Another idiomatic possibility is to insert no word at all - It is essential that the documents be destroyed immediately.

Ought to be, would and had better cannot be qualified by it is essential that...

If something ought to be done it ought to be done. It is not gradable and subject to essentiality qualifications. Similarly with had better.

If it would be done, it is outside the scope of anyone to alter anything - so essential/inessential does not apply.

FumbleFingers
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WS2
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