How to: Use the Subjunctive Tense

   Does anyone know this English part of speech even exists anymore? After suffering a plethora of worksheets, lessons, and quizzes regarding the use of the subjunctive in AP Spanish class, the usage of this part of speech is more than vaguely apparent to me which is a lot more than can be said for a large number of English-speakers. In Spanish, there's a distinct set of endings used to conjugate verbs in the subjunctive tense. In English, however, our distinction between the subjunctive and indicative tenses has been blurred into oblivion. From song lyrics to movie scripts to novels that have been seemingly sufficiently edited, the incorrect usage (or, more so, lack of usage) of the English subjunctive is rampant. 
    So tell me, Angel, what the fug is the subjunctive anyway? I'll tell ya, friend! In a moment though. Let's go meet up with the Indicative Tense first.

Indicative
     
    As defined by the dictionary, the Indicative is: 
    Grammar . noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used for ordinary objective statements,questions, etc., as the verb plays  in John plays football.  Compare imperative (  def 3 ) , subjunctive ( def 1 ) .
   
               Think of the indicative as a factual statement. (I.e. Penguins are cool.) 

Subjunctive

    As defined by the dictionary, the subjunctive is: 
    (in English and certain other languages) noting or pertaining to a mood or mode of the verb that maybe used for subjective, doubtful, hypothetical, or grammatically subordinate statements or questions,as the mood of be  in if this be treason.  Compare imperative (  def 3 ) , indicative (  def 2 ) .

             Think of it as a hypothetical statement that may or may not happen. (I.e. If Gamma-ray bursts from a nearby exploding star were to hit Earth, penguins may not be cool anymore due to a dramatic escalation of Earth's temperature, assuming the planet continues to exist at all.)  http://waxingapocalyptic.com/2011/08/28/5-lesser-known-end-of-the-world-scenarios/ <-- in case you're interesting in apocalypse-inducing theories

                       Some words that indicate that the subjunctive should be used:        
                 if 
                as if 
                wish
                suppose
                            
      


How to Form the English Subjunctive

The structure of the subjunctive is extremely simple. For all verbs except the past tense of be, the subjunctive is the same as the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to"):

be (past)	be (present)	all other verbs (past & present)
I were you were he, she, it were we were you were they were	I be you be he, she, it be we be you be they be	I work you work he, she, it work we work you work they work

* The subjunctive does not change according to person (I, you, he etc). Always use the word were. 

Examples:
Indicative: Since my milkshake's so good, the boys never leave the yard. (Factual statement)
Subjunctive: If my milkshake were so good, the boys would never leave the yard. (Hypothetical statement)

Indicative: Harry Potter is a wizard. (Fact- well, fictional fact- because in J.K. Rowling's novels, HP is definitely a wizard.)
Subjunctive: I wish I were a wizard. (Hypothetical statement because I'm obviously not a wizard.) 



http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-subjunctive.htm All the subjunctive charts are from this lovely site! :)