# EN: it is necessary that + mood



## djamal 2008

Do we say for instance :

It's necessary that I be there on time or that I will be there on time?


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## Gutenberg

It's necessary that *I'll* be there on time.


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## djamal 2008

Gutenberg said:


> It's necessary that *I'll* be there on time.



However, this sentence is correct : It is important that he *try* to study often.


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## v_jazz

This is the age-old confusion of how to use the French "mode subjonctif" is English! 
"It is necessary that I be there on time"
"It is necessary that I am there on time"
"It is necessary that I'll be there on time"
which one is correct??
"Il est necessaire que je SOIS la a l'heure" [sorry, I don't know how to use accents on my keyboard]


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## dakotabrett

djamal 2008 said:


> Do we say for instance :
> 
> It's necessary that I be there on time or that I will be there on time?


 
"It's necessary that I be there on time" is correct but sounds wordy, considering the much more concise "I have to be there on time" exists.  No native speaker would say the former sentence seriously.

"It's necessary that I'll be there on time" sounds wrong to my ears, but maybe not to other anglophones, since these days people seem to avoid the subjunctive whatever way they can.


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## mplsray

v_jazz said:


> This is the age-old confusion of how to use the French "mode subjonctif" is English!
> "It is necessary that I be there on time"
> "It is necessary that I am there on time"
> "It is necessary that I'll be there on time"
> which one is correct??
> "Il est necessaire que je SOIS la a l'heure" [sorry, I don't know how to use accents on my keyboard]


 
As another poster said, it might be better to state the meaning intended using other words. On the question of the grammar of the example sentences, however, only "It is necessary that I be there on time" is correct in American English. The British are increasingly using the version with the indicative in the _that _clause: "It is necessary that I am there on time." Usually, however, they would say, "It is necessary that I should be there on time." The subjunctive is less often encountered in British English than in American English.

I don't think of "should be" as a subjunctive, but as a _quasi-subjunctive_ (a term I learned from _A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language_ by Randolph Quirk et al.) or _subjunctive-equivalent_ (a term I found in the Oxford English Dictionary).


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## uptown

I agree with dakotabrett. "It is necessary that..." sounds to me like a very forced translation of "il faut que..." While this translation is accurate, the construction "it is necessary that" isn't used frequently at all. The construction "il faut que" in French is convenient because it makes the obligation impersonal. Unfortunately, this doesn't really work in English.


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## djamal 2008

uptown said:


> I agree with dakotabrett. "It is necessary that..." sounds to me like a very forced translation of "il faut que..." While this translation is accurate, the construction "it is necessary that" isn't used frequently at all. The construction "il faut que" in French is convenient because it makes the obligation impersonal. Unfortunately, this doesn't really work in English.



*"It is necessary that"  is as english as it can be, sorry. Not a forced translation as you suggested.*


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## Aoyama

I have to be on time or I must be on time should do the job.
The French "il est nécessaire que je sois à l'heure" is also -though correct- a bit unusual. "Il faut que ..." the impersonal version of "je dois ..." is more like " I have to /I must" .


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## LV4-26

If anytiing, _it is necessary that _would be a word-for-word translation of _il est nécessaire que. _

In any case, it's been made clear that it doesn't sound right in English -- which doesn't mean it is ungrammatical or even totally unused -- and I agree with that.

The question I'd like to ask djamal is...
Are you specifically interested in _it is necessary that _or are you just trying to get to grips with the English subjunctive?

_It is necessary that _is quite uncommon but there are many other English phrases or verbs that require the subjunctive and are much more natural (well, less dodgy, at least).

Example
_He demanded that I be there on time_


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## djamal 2008

LV4-26 said:


> If anytiing, _it is necessary that _would be a word-for-word translation of _il est nécessaire que. _
> 
> In any case, it's been made clear that it doesn't sound right in English -- which doesn't mean it is ungrammatical or even totally unused -- and I agree with that.
> 
> The question I'd like to ask djamal is...
> Are you specifically interested in _it is necessary that _or are you just trying to get to grips with the English subjunctive?
> 
> _It is necessary that _is quite uncommon but there are many other English phrases or verbs that require the subjunctive and are much more natural (well, less dodgy, at least).
> 
> Example
> _He demanded that I be there on time_



Or it is important that I be on time.
And it is important that you not be late.
How's that?


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## baker589

I would say:

It is important that I am on time
It is important that you are not late

I completely agree with LV4-26 and Aoyama, I_t is necessary_... is not very english sounding.


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## LV4-26

djamal 2008 said:


> Or it is important that I be on time.
> And it is important that you not be late.
> How's that?


If you ask a BE speaker, you're likely to get a negative answer (like baker's just above). BE speakers are not very fond of the subjunctive in general.

If you ask an AE speaker, the answer will probably be "it's fine, but I don't say or write that often".

Also note that the choice of "_be_" is not innocent. It makes your subjunctive more conspicuous, thus revealing a desire to sound formal.

Compare with
_It is important that you get there on time_
Who's going to say whether it's a subjunctive or not?


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## francis0077

I have to be on time serait plus naturel...
On trouve encore ce subjonctive avec certains verbes ou expressions tels que
I suggest he stop singing.


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## djamal 2008

francis0077 said:


> I have to be on time serait plus naturel...
> On trouve encore ce subjonctive avec certains verbes ou expressions tels que
> I suggest he stop singing.




How about this : it's absolutely necessary to keep an umbrella handy during the rain. Sounds fine to me.


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## jpryda

djamal 2008 said:


> How about this : it's absolutely necessary to keep an umbrella handy during the rain. Sounds fine to me.



This is fine but note that no subjunctivenis used - just the infinitive 'to keep,


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## LV4-26

I guess this was an attempt by djamal to revert to the use of _it is necessary_. Actually, we seem to be discussing two topics at the same time.
1) The use of _it is necessary_
2) The present subjunctive in English

So, to answer djamal's last question
_It is necessary *to*_ is not exactly the same as _It is necessary *that*_.

And yes, as suggested by jpryda, the former sounds much more natural than the latter. Note that the (2nd) subject remains  general/undefined in _necessary to._


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