What is an subjunctive sentence?

Answer 1

The subjunctive is a mood in language that has to do with counterfactuals, statements which are about possibilities, not actualities. Usually in English they are statements which start with the word "if". "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride." is a sentence in the subjunctive. Wishes are not in fact horses, but if they were . . .

The subjunctive is a powerful tool in language. It allows people to explore possibilities mentally, by thinking through hypothetical situations which are imaginary and not true. Subjunctive thinking allows for metaphors and other figurative language which is not true in a literal sense.

Answer 2

A subjunctive sentence is a type of sentence that expresses wishes, recommendations, desires, or hypothetical situations. It typically uses special verb forms to convey this mood, such as "I wish he were here" instead of "I wish he was here."