Siraisi, I did appreciate your wry `but English teachers in Japan likes the
"lest S should" expression so much that they often set questions about it'!
And I should like to tack a few things onto Dick's answer to your question:

The sentence "I had to grab the iron rail at my side lest I should slip and
fall" contains a subjunctive cast of phrase (or `clause', to those who must
use the silly term). But then, the sentence "I had to grab the iron rail at
my side just in case I should slip and fall" also contains a subjunctive
cast of phrase. Indeed, `lest' and `just in case' are synonymous
expressions. So you are right: both C and D correctly fill the gap in the
exam sentence. And you are also right in that `lest' is archaic. On that
basis, C would have been the better answer.

Sophie

----- Original Message -----
From: SIRAISI Tomio <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2001 12:45 PM
Subject: "in case" and "lest S should"


> Hello.
> Today I have a question about "in case" and "lest S should".
>
> The following question is found in a university entrance examination.
> (Sophia University)
>
> (Choose the right one from A to D and fill in the blank.)
> I had to grab the iron rail at my side (     ) I should slip and fall.
> A. in fear
> B. so that
> C. just in case
> D. lest
>
> Which is the right answer?
> I guess the intended answer is D (of course, you will say it is too
archaic,
> but English teachers in Japan likes the "lest S should" expression so much
> that they often set questions about it.
>
> But I wonder if C is not correct. And I would like to know the reason.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> SIRAISI Tomio
> [log in to unmask]
>
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