Verb moods: Indicative, imperative or subjunctive?

There are three verb moods in English: indicative, imperative and subjunctive. Do you know which one to use when?

If you think you’re up to the challenge, try to identify the mood of the verbs in square brackets in the following sentences.

Need help? Check out our writing tip “Verb moods.”

1. It’s important that the report [be submitted] by 9:00 a.m. on Monday.
2. We could have met the deadline if the tasks [had been] better delegated.
3. If the report is not finished by end of day Friday, we [will have] to work over the weekend to meet the Monday morning deadline.
4. The owner asks that the last person to leave at night [turn] off all the lights.
5. If you’re the last person to leave at night, [turn] off all the lights.
6. I wish that my favourite neighbourhood café [were] still open on Sundays.
7. [Go] to another café. There are plenty to choose from in your neighbourhood.
8. What [is] your favourite workout routine?
9. If need [be], I will do it myself.
10. When we went on our annual trips to Alberta, we [would] always spend an afternoon in downtown Calgary.
  
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