Worked example
What mood is used in the command “Close the gate gently”?
Answer & why
Answer: Imperative
The sentence directly instructs an understood you to close the gate.
Grade 8 · Reading & language
Recognize statements, commands and hypothetical moods
Distinguish indicative, imperative, conditional and subjunctive uses in explicit examples.
6 authored questions + worked example
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All questions
All 6 authored questions for this skill.
Question 1
What mood is signaled by were in “I wish the gate were wider” (it is not)?
- Indicative
- A direct question
- Subjunctive
- Imperative
A hint
Indicative states, imperative directs, conditional describes a contingent result, and subjunctive can present a contrary-to-fact wish.
Answer & why
Answer: Subjunctive
Were presents a wish contrary to the stated fact, a subjunctive use.
Question 2
What mood is used in the command “Please record the result”?
- Conditional
- Indicative
- Subjunctive
- Imperative
A hint
Indicative states, imperative directs, conditional describes a contingent result, and subjunctive can present a contrary-to-fact wish.
Answer & why
Answer: Imperative
Please makes the command polite; it still directs an action.
Question 3
What mood is expressed by would walk in “If the bridge were open, we would walk across”?
- An instruction without a condition
- Imperative
- Conditional
- A present-fact indicative statement
A hint
Indicative states, imperative directs, conditional describes a contingent result, and subjunctive can present a contrary-to-fact wish.
Answer & why
Answer: Conditional
Would walk describes a result dependent on the hypothetical condition.
Question 4
What mood is used in the statement “Our group meets on Tuesdays”?
- Conditional
- Imperative
- Subjunctive
- Indicative
A hint
Indicative states, imperative directs, conditional describes a contingent result, and subjunctive can present a contrary-to-fact wish.
Answer & why
Answer: Indicative
The sentence reports a regular action as a fact.
Question 5
What mood is used in the command “Close the gate gently”?
- Indicative
- Imperative
- Conditional
- Subjunctive
A hint
Indicative states, imperative directs, conditional describes a contingent result, and subjunctive can present a contrary-to-fact wish.
Answer & why
Answer: Imperative
The sentence directly instructs an understood you to close the gate.
Question 6
What mood is used in the statement “The gate is closed”?
- Subjunctive
- Conditional
- Indicative
- Imperative
A hint
Indicative states, imperative directs, conditional describes a contingent result, and subjunctive can present a contrary-to-fact wish.
Answer & why
Answer: Indicative
The sentence states a condition rather than commanding or imagining it.