Question:
The officer asked that the report be submitted immediately.
The officer asked that the report be submitted immediately.
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In formal English, after verbs like "ask", "insist", "recommend", or "demand", use the subjunctive base form of the verb without "to" — e.g., "She demanded that he leave", not "he leaves" or "he should leave".
Updated On: Aug 14, 2025
- The officer asked
- that the report
- be submitted
- immediately
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
This question was marked with a note stating there is a discrepancy in the official answer key, so it is ignored for all candidates. However, grammatically, the sentence is actually correct as written.
The structure "asked that + [noun phrase] + base verb" is an example of the subjunctive mood in English. The subjunctive is used to express commands, suggestions, or requests, especially after certain verbs like "ask", "demand", "recommend", "insist".
Here, "be submitted" is in the base form, showing that it is a request rather than a statement of fact. This is grammatically correct and very common in formal English.
Why each part works:
- Option (A) "The officer asked" — correct introductory clause using the past tense of "ask".
- Option (B) "that the report" — introduces the object of the request. Grammatically fine.
- Option (C) "be submitted" — correct subjunctive verb form, used after "ask that".
- Option (D) "immediately" — correct adverb modifying the submission time.
Real-life examples of subjunctive mood:
- "The manager insisted that the documents be ready by Monday."
- "They recommended that she arrive early for the interview."
- "He asked that the meeting be postponed until next week."
The structure "asked that + [noun phrase] + base verb" is an example of the subjunctive mood in English. The subjunctive is used to express commands, suggestions, or requests, especially after certain verbs like "ask", "demand", "recommend", "insist".
Here, "be submitted" is in the base form, showing that it is a request rather than a statement of fact. This is grammatically correct and very common in formal English.
Why each part works:
- Option (A) "The officer asked" — correct introductory clause using the past tense of "ask".
- Option (B) "that the report" — introduces the object of the request. Grammatically fine.
- Option (C) "be submitted" — correct subjunctive verb form, used after "ask that".
- Option (D) "immediately" — correct adverb modifying the submission time.
Real-life examples of subjunctive mood:
- "The manager insisted that the documents be ready by Monday."
- "They recommended that she arrive early for the interview."
- "He asked that the meeting be postponed until next week."
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