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My student wrote:

Hannah recommended that Sasha rents first before buying a house or an apartment because it is important to know the area.

I corrected him and said it should be:

Hannah recommended that Sasha rent first before buying a house or an apartment because it is important to know the area.

However, I didn't know what to say when he asked me why.

Now, I’m wondering if both are correct, but I still don’t know why.

Laurel
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user477912
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    You can tell him that you used the mandative subjunctive and refer him to this page: https://www.thoughtco.com/mandative-subjunctive-term-1691299 – Shoe Apr 08 '23 at 20:13

1 Answers1

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The present tense "rents" also works but only in British English, and both versions mean the same thing.

This is according to BBC, and I quote:

The doctor recommended (that) he should give up smoking.
The doctor recommended (that) he give up smoking. (More formal)
The doctor recommended (that) he gives up smoking. (Less formal)

But in American English, the present tense "rents" doesn't works.

In British English, though, "should rent" would be more productive than the other versions.

listeneva
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