Subjunctive verbs after 'suggest'

[Enlearnercn]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #90 "Using Make and Do (1)", question 9

The teacher suggested they ......... another exercise to understand the problem better.

(a) make
(b) do
(c) made
(d) did

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #90 "Using Make and Do (1)", answer 9

The teacher suggested they do another exercise to understand the problem better.

Correct answer: (b) do

Your answer was: correct
_________________________

Dear Sir,

Why not DID here?

Thanks in advance

Enlearnercn

[Conchita]

In this sentence:

The teacher suggested they do another exercise to understand the problem better.

do is a subjunctive. The sentence could also read:

The teacher suggested that they should do another exercise to understand the problem better.

Sometimes, as is the case in this example, the should is omitted before certain verbs. Here the infinitive do is left alone and becomes a subjunctive.

[Watie]

Would you explain to me when we know whether the sentence is subjunctive or not?

Thanks in advance.

[Aliraf62]

Hi Watie

You could visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjunctive
Comparing subjunctive with imperative and indicative would help you discern them.

Ali

[Aiken]

Hi,

I would like to ask that if we use subjunctive mood, we can break the sequence of tenses?

Aiken
_________________
Man proposes; God disposes

[Mordant]

Aiken, I don't understand your question.