Edith: Those were the sentences the Cambridge International Dictionary of English used to illustrate "lest." I'd say they are further evidence that distinctive subjunctive verb forms are dying out--or at least now coexist with declarative forms used in subjunctive situations. Dick At 11:39 AM 7/16/2001, you wrote: >Dick, will you respond to another question on the same sentences?! I was >surprised by the past tense on annoyed; I would have used the infinitive >form--lest they annoy them; lest he annoy them. Likewise, in the second >sentence, I would use ellipsis for the verb, but if called upon to supply >it, it would be be, not is. So is this subjunctive dead or did it never >exist except in my head? If I had my grammar books at work, I would look >this up, but I have taken them all home. > >Edith Wollin > >-----Original Message----- >From: Richard Veit, UNCW English Department [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > >The following is a direct quotation from the Cambridge International >Dictionary of English < >http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=lest*1+0: > >lest / conjunction / LITERARY > in order to prevent any possibility that (something will happen) > They were afraid to complain about the noise lest they annoyed the people >next door. > Lest you think the film is too violent, I must assure you that it is not.