tenses - Grammar: Did Jim ask you whether you are a virgin? VS Did Jim ask you whether you were a virgin?



How do I form a question based on the following details:


At 1pm on Sunday Jim: Are you a virgin? Jane: Yes


nothing happened from 1pm to 9pm


At 9pm on Sunday: Did Jim ask you whether you were a virgin?


or


At 9pm on Sunday: Did Jim ask you whether you are a virgin?



Answer



The difference is the mood


One is subjunctive (were) and the other is indicative (are)


While both sentences are indeed grammatically correct, the mood is completely different. A subjunctive mood suggests that there is doubt.



If you were a virgin | subjunctive



vs



If you are a virgin | indicative



Subjunctive


The first sentence expresses the uncertainty of Jane's virginity. The same concept goes for these sentences



  • If I had one million dollars ...

  • If I were rich ...

  • If cats were people ...


Using the million dollar sentence as an example, it's very clear that the subject does not have a million dollars, and there is usually a conditional phrase that follows, but that's another beast on it's own. You have to use the conditional because the first statement is in fact subjunctive.



If I had one million dollars, how would I spend it?


If fish could walk, fishing would be quite easy.


If a tree fell in the woods, would it make a sound?


If the student had read the book, he would have passed.



Indicative


The root word here is indicate, which means to point something out, to demonstrate an actual, factual action... or being.



I have one million dollars



By using the indicative mood, there is no uncertainty, and there would be no need to use conditional phrases afterwards.. you cannot say



If I have one million dollars, how would I spend it? INCORRECT



The sentence would be the epitome of a grammatically incorrect sentence. It is very clear from the sentence that I do have one million dollars, no doubt whatsoever, no hopes, nothing..



If I have one million dollars, I will spend it. CORRECT


If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?



Any doubt would be expressed in subsequent sentences.



John : Jim, I just heard that you won $1 Million!


Jim : John, if I have a million dollars, then where is it?




Can you spot the subjunctive sentence?



If cats are people, then why can they not talk?



or



If cats were people, then they could talk.



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