Ed,

To answer your (non-trick) questions:

1.Yes
2.No
3.No

Paul E. Doniger

----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward Vavra" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 1:42 PM
Subject: Subjunctive mood in 2nd grade?


>     All right, this is a serious question (no tricks). I just received
> an e-mail from a parent of a second grader. The question included the
> following:
>
> "She [the second grader] recently came home with some sentences to
> edit, i.e., (7)would you like it if i play at kid's castle with You?
> This sentence contains 7 mistakes.
> She corrected 6 mistakes...Would you like it if I play at Kids' Castle
> with
> you? (Kids' Castle is a local park)
> The teacher corrected the 7th mistake, Would you like it if I PLAYED
> at
> Kids' Castle with you? (caps for emphasis only).
> Can you explain the reason for the use of the past tense of the verb
> play?"
>
> Among other things, my response was that "played" is not just past
> tense, but a subjunctive. I also expressed curiosity about what
> instruction, if any, the students had had about subjunctives. Finally, I
> noted that I would be sending this question to the list, and I gave the
> parent the address of the archives so that she can follow your
> responses.
>
> The questions are:
> 1.) Do you agree that "played" would be a subjunctive here?
> 2.) Do you agree that "play" would be an error?
> 3.) Do you think that second graders should be accountable for
> subjunctives?
> 4.) If your answer to (3.) is affirmative, how would you teach them?
>
> Thanks,
> Ed
>
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