Is it okay to write this:
Her condition was that he should not be allowed into her house.
Or, is the grammatical format this:
Her condition was that he not be allowed into her house.
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1Either is acceptable.– TimRMay 24, 2017 at 17:54
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1Your second (subjunctive) version is significantly more formal/dated, so you'd probably be well-advised to stick with the first one.– FumbleFingersMay 24, 2017 at 18:05
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1@FumbleFingers I'm American and easily impressed by anything that sounds remotely like posh British :)– AndrewMay 24, 2017 at 18:11
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1I don't generally like questions that ask, "Is this okay?" because the answer is generally, "Sure, it's okay." In this case, though, I'll point out that it reads a little awkward to me, and I'd prefer seeing something like: "Her condition was so grave that he was not allowed into her house."– J.R. ♦May 24, 2017 at 18:35
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1Guys, I think the context is that this is a demand or requirement of hers. It's not a medical condition, AFAIK.– TimRMay 24, 2017 at 19:41
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2 Answers
If the context of the question is that she is making a demand, as in
A condition of the agreement is that he not be allowed within 150 feet of the house.
then the subjunctive is fine. It is more formal than the modal "should not be", however, if the context demands formality (as an agreement would), the subjunctive is not dated or old-fashioned but quite common.
Both are correct. The second example is in the present subjunctive and is more formal, but both are grammatically correct. I like the subjunctive form you give though and I would probably use it most of the time; however that's just my choice.
answered Oct 18, 2017 at 0:01
