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I never use "whom", and do not expect it of others.
Shucks, I don't even know what a "subjunctive mood" is. It sounds vaguely obscene.
Examples:
Typical usage I hear all the time: If I was you, I would go to the store early.
Using subjunctive: If I were you, I would go to the store early.
(to be fair, there are still many people who use the subjunctive in this situation. This is the usage of subjunctive most people are aware of, at least, even if they don't use it correctly and/or know what it is called)
Typical usage: My boss insists that I am here at five each morning.
Using subjunctive: My boss insists that I be here at five each morning.
Typical usage: It's not as if I'm wealthy.
Using subjunctive: It's not as if I were wealthy.
Typical usage: It is essential that he's present during the ceremony.
Using subjunctive: It is essential that he be present during the ceremony.
Typical usage: If only I can become president.
Using Subjunctive: If only I could become president. (modal form used in subjunctive construction)
---Sample verb forms---- (subjunctive is actually easy in form as it is typically the "base" or non-conjugated form)
Indicative:
he hopes
he thinks
Subjunctive:
he hope
he think
Indicative:
I am
you are
he is
we are
you are
they are
Subjunctive:
I be
you be
he be
we be
you be
they be
Personally, I don't always use the subjunctive properly when speaking (I sometimes get it right, sometimes not). But when writing, I insist that I be () as accurate as is possible--although, even at that, sometimes I score and sometimes I don't. Having studied several languages and linguistics, I am however, pretty much always aware of the subjunctive construction/mood and how it works. In languages like Spanish or French, it is critical and widely used by all speakers. In some languages like Norwegian, it is nearly non-existent (and basically is non-existent in usage). In English, we can get away with "lazying ourselves around it" without too much of a consequence, even though it is still in the grammar references and used properly to an extent by some speakers.
Before anyone asks: YES, I do love discussing languages, language usage, and grammar.
Typical usage I hear all the time: If I was you, I would go to the store early.
Using subjunctive: If I were you, I would go to the store early.
(to be fair, there are still many people who use the subjunctive in this situation. This is the usage of subjunctive most people are aware of, at least, even if they don't use it correctly and/or know what it is called)
Typical usage: My boss insists that I am here at five each morning.
Using subjunctive: My boss insists that I be here at five each morning.
Typical usage: It's not as if I'm wealthy.
Using subjunctive: It's not as if I were wealthy.
Typical usage: It is essential that he's present during the ceremony.
Using subjunctive: It is essential that he be present during the ceremony.
Typical usage: If only I can become president.
Using Subjunctive: If only I could become president. (modal form used in subjunctive construction)
---Sample verb forms---- (subjunctive is actually easy in form as it is typically the "base" or non-conjugated form)
Indicative:
he hopes
he thinks
Subjunctive:
he hope
he think
Indicative:
I am
you are
he is
we are
you are
they are
Subjunctive:
I be
you be
he be
we be
you be
they be
Personally, I don't always use the subjunctive properly when speaking (I sometimes get it right, sometimes not). But when writing, I insist that I be () as accurate as is possible--although, even at that, sometimes I score and sometimes I don't. Having studied several languages and linguistics, I am however, pretty much always aware of the subjunctive construction/mood and how it works. In languages like Spanish or French, it is critical and widely used by all speakers. In some languages like Norwegian, it is nearly non-existent (and basically is non-existent in usage). In English, we can get away with "lazying ourselves around it" without too much of a consequence, even though it is still in the grammar references and used properly to an extent by some speakers.
Before anyone asks: YES, I do love discussing languages, language usage, and grammar.
Well, OK, but at almost 77 years of age (2 more days), that is a great deal more than I want to know or even care about, or will remember. But, thanks for the lesson, useless as it may be.
"The pronouns who and whoever are in the subjective case, and whom and whomever are in the objective case. Within each case, the pronouns do not change form for singular or plural, and they do not change form for first, second, or third person."
By the way, using the hints in that link, your first example:
Well, OK, but at almost 77 years of age (2 more days), that is a great deal more than I want to know or even care about, or will remember. But, thanks for the lesson, useless as it may be.
It wasn't meant to be a lesson for you specifically. This is a public forum. You brought it up and there are lots of people who still have a bit of curiosity on such matters. I know I do--especially concerning languages. It was meant to shed some light on what the subjunctive mood is for those who might be interested in knowing. I've seen the comment many times on different forums, "I don't know what the subjunctive is." It generally turns out that they don't know it by name, but actually do use it in their speech, at least to an extent.
I can't say I agree with that last comment about being useless. Understanding a language is never useless.
I'm getting up in years as well, and I'm still learning English after all these years. Honestly, that's what makes it fun. When I know everything about a given topic, that's when the topic becomes boring. Luckily, there is very little about which I know everything. (or is that, "...very little I know everything about"???)
"The pronouns who and whoever are in the subjective case, and whom and whomever are in the objective case. Within each case, the pronouns do not change form for singular or plural, and they do not change form for first, second, or third person."
By the way, using the hints in that link, your first example:
Give it to whomever wants it.
should be
Give it to whoever wants it.
That's a very useful link--and great way to check usage of who/whom, etc. There are times where it is very easy to flub that up--at least for me. Much of the time I default to the "safe mode"... if in doubt, use "who."
I stepped down from the copy department of The New Yorker almost two years ago, hanging up my parentheses and turning over the comma shaker to my successor, who I know will use it judiciously, but I still love the magazine and lose sleep when an oversight (as we prefer to call it) sneaks into its pages. Copy editors never get credit for the sentences we get right, but confuse “who” and “whom” and you are sure to be the center of attention, at least briefly. If you thought the “who” in the previous sentence should have been a “whom,” you are not alone. Let’s review.
I've never been a big fan of whom. There are places where it sounds OK but many more places where it just gets in the way.
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) as accurate as is possible--although, even at that, sometimes I score and sometimes I don't. Having studied several languages and linguistics, I am however, pretty much always aware of the subjunctive construction/mood and how it works. In languages like Spanish or French, it is critical and widely used by all speakers. In some languages like Norwegian, it is nearly non-existent (and basically is non-existent in usage). In English, we can get away with "lazying ourselves around it" without too much of a consequence, even though it is still in the grammar references and used properly to an extent by some speakers.
(or is that, "...very little I know everything about"???)
