2

Consider these possibilities:

  1. It is now time for her to leave home.
    It is now time for her to be told.
  2. It is now time (that) she left home.
    It is now time (that) she were told.
  3. It is now time (that) she ?leaves home.
    It is now time (that) she ?is told.
  4. It is now time (that) she ?leave home.
    It is now time (that) she ?be told.
  5. It is now time (that) she ?must leave home.
    It is now time (that) she ?must be told.

Why is (2) the correct way to express (1)? Why does the infinitive used in (1) shift to past tense, not to present tense?

Are any of (3), (4), and (5) grammatical? If so, are they equivalent to (2)?

Probably it has to do with the “missing” subjunctive in English, but why is the past tense used here instead of the present tense?

What do you English native speakers have to say about this point?

tchrist
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Muhammad Arslan
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    Although "went" is a preterite (past tense) verb form, it has not to do with time but with modality, a type of meaning associated with mood. Here, past tense "went" is used to express a suggestion or requirement, and can be referred to as a 'modal preterite'. – BillJ Jul 13 '21 at 06:33
  • It's time we agreed that English can get along without a subjunctive. – Walter Mitty Jul 13 '21 at 10:31
  • You have to think of (2) as a fixed form of the past subjunctive that is still used, while the past subjunctive in general has fallen out of use in most similar constructions. Past tense subjunctives are generally counterfactual (some grammarians call them the irrealis mood), and if you take this literally, (2) would imply that while it is time for her to leave, she is not actually leaving. It's not clear that it still has that implication today. – Peter Shor Jul 13 '21 at 13:50
  • We don't use (3), (4), (5), but (3) would be the indicative, which would mean not that she should leave, but that she is actually leaving, and (4) would be the present subjunctive, which would be a suggestion or order that she leave. – Peter Shor Jul 13 '21 at 13:54
  • Duplicates: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and many more! – tchrist Jul 13 '21 at 13:55
  • Google "English past subjunctive". – GEdgar Jul 13 '21 at 15:08
  • Related. – tchrist Feb 16 '23 at 00:06

0 Answers0