Year 6 Formal and Subjunctive Forms: Worked Examples
See free Year 6 formal and subjunctive forms worked examples with clear strategies and answers, aligned to the England primary curriculum.
Model the thinking
Four worked examples
Try each question first, then compare the strategy and answer. The aim is to understand the method, not just copy the final result.
1
Formal form
Complete: If I ___ you, I would apologise. was / were
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
Show answer
Answer: were
2
Formal request
Complete: The headteacher requested that every pupil ___ on time. is / be
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
Show answer
Answer: be
3
Spot
Which is more formal: 'If I was...' or 'If I were...' in a hypothetical statement?
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
Show answer
Answer: If I were...
4
Rewrite
Rewrite formally: 'I suggest he goes now.'
How to think about it: Identify the sentence feature first, apply the rule only where it is needed, then reread the whole sentence aloud to check that the meaning and punctuation are clear.
Show answer
Answer: I suggest that he go now.
Next step
Turn the explanation into practice
Use the printable for independent work, or return to the topic overview to choose another way to practise.