Ces deux structures appartiennent au registre soutenu des lettres officielles, contrats et rapports. Elles reviennent dans les questions de difficulté 3 : les connaître rapporte des points que la plupart des candidats laissent passer.
Le subjonctif : base verbale sans -s
Après certains verbes et adjectifs qui expriment une exigence ou une recommandation, suivis de that, le verbe reste à la base verbale, à toutes les personnes et à tous les temps.
| Déclencheur | Exemple |
|---|---|
| recommend, suggest, request, require, insist, ask, propose | The board recommends that Ms. Park accept the position. |
| It is essential / important / necessary / vital / mandatory that | It is essential that every employee complete the training. |
| Au passif | The manager requested that the report be sent by Friday. |
| À la négative | Our lawyer suggested that we not sign the contract yet. |
Si tu vois « that » après un de ces déclencheurs, cherche la forme sans -s ni auxiliaire : accept, complete, be sent, not sign.
L’inversion après un élément négatif ou restrictif
Quand une phrase commence par un adverbe négatif ou restrictif, l’auxiliaire passe devant le sujet, comme dans une question. Si la phrase n’a pas d’auxiliaire, on ajoute do / does / did.
| Déclencheur | Exemple |
|---|---|
| Never, Rarely, Seldom | Rarely have we received so many applications. |
| Not only… but also | Not only did the team finish early, but it also stayed under budget. |
| Only after / Only when / Only then | Only after the contract is signed can the payment be made. |
| Hardly… when / No sooner… than | No sooner had the meeting started than the power went out. |
| Under no circumstances | Under no circumstances should passwords be shared. |
L’inversion conditionnelle
- Should you have any questions, please contact us.= If you have
- Had the shipment arrived earlier, we could have met the deadline.= If the shipment had arrived
Piège : « It is important that he signs » se rencontre dans l’anglais courant britannique, mais le TOEIC attend la forme du subjonctif : « that he sign ».
À toi de jouer
It is essential that every visitor ------- a badge. (wear / wears)
Voir la réponse
wear Subjonctif : base verbale sans -s.
The client requested that the report ------- by email. (be sent / is sent)
Voir la réponse
be sent Subjonctif passif : be + p.p.
Rarely ------- such a high number of complaints. (we have received / have we received)
Voir la réponse
have we received Adverbe négatif en tête : inversion.
Not only ------- the deadline, but they also cut costs. (they met / did they meet)
Voir la réponse
did they meet Not only en tête : did + sujet + base.
------- the train been on time, we would have attended the opening. (Had / If)
Voir la réponse
Had Inversion de « If the train had been ».