1 The present subjunctive has exactly the same form as the infinitive; therefore the present subjunctive of to be is be for all persons, and the present subjunctive of all other verbs is the same as their present tense except that s is not added for the third person singular:
- The queen lives here. (simple present tense)
- Long live the queen! (subjunctive)
2 The past subjunctive has exactly the same form as the simple past except that with the verb be the past subjunctive form is either I/he/she/it was or I/he/she/it were.
Important: In expressions of doubt or unreality were is more usual than was:
- He behaves as though he were the winner. (But he is not the winner.)
In conversation, however, was is often used instead of were. Past subjunctives are often known as "unreal pasts".