lest he'd lose his temper

[philistine1]

Choose the option that best completes the following sentence.


Neither Alice nor Amy mentioned Alan's arrogant behaviour _________________.

Answers:

• lest he'd lose his temper - I think this is the answer, because Alice and Amy have intention of preventing something undesirable.

• lest he lose his temper

• lest he loses his temper

• less he lose his temper

Thanks a lot

 

[Englishmypassion]

Your answer is correct. "Lest" is usually followed by "should".

 

[velisarius]

I don't think that's quite right, because (as far as I know) when we use "he should" instead of the present subjunctive we don't shorten it to "he'd".

I think the better answer is "lest he lose his temper". I would prefer "should lose" (in BE), though.

 

[philistine1]

Thanks, it is a UK test

 

[DonnyB]

Your answer is correct. "Lest" is usually followed by "should".

The problem with that is that we don't normally contract "he should" to "he'd": thus I'd take "he'd lose his temper" to be short for "he would lose ... "

I'd go for (2) with the present subjunctive: "lest he lose..."

 

[Englishmypassion]

Oh, sorry. I missed that point. Yes, "he'd" means "he would/had". Thanks both for pointing that out.

 

[philistine1]

The problem with that is that we don't normally contract "he should" to "he'd": thus I'd take "he'd lose his temper" to be short for "he would lose ... "

I'd go for (2) with the present subjunctive: "lest he lose..."

Oh, I missed that too.
Thank a lot for all you've done

 

[Gabriel Malheiros]

The problem with that is that we don't normally contract "he should" to "he'd": thus I'd take "he'd lose his temper" to be short for "he would lose ... "

I'd go for (2) with the present subjunctive: "lest he lose..."

But can'I say "lest someone would"? Is it wrong?

 

[Englishmypassion]

Oh, how I miss the great linguist DonnyB, GM! Haven't seen him for a long time.

Yes, "lest someone would" is wrong.

 

[SReynolds]

Lest is followed by the subjunctive, so it's either should or the bare infinitive.

I'm running faster lest she (should) catch me.

 

[se16teddy]

Choose the option that best completes the following sentence.


Neither Alice nor Amy mentioned Alan's arrogant behaviour _________________.

Answers:

• lest he'd lose his temper - I think this is the answer, because Alice and Amy have intention of preventing something undesirable.

• lest he lose his temper

• lest he loses his temper

• less he lose his temper

Thanks a lot

When was this test written? Nobody says "lest" any more.

 

[SReynolds]

When was this test written? Nobody says "lest" any more.

I'm going to take a guess and assume that they went for (edit) the only conjunction that still takes the subjunctive in English.

 

[Gabriel Malheiros]

When was this test written? Nobody says "lest" any more.

When was this test written? Nobody says "lest" any more.

But "so that" and "in order that" also demand the subjunctive, and I see many American English speakers using "would" after these two, whereas I see British English speakers using "should" in the same situation. Is that a difference between American and British speakers?

 

[SReynolds]

Who told you that? So that does not always take the subjunctive, in fact, in most cases, it's used with a modal auxiliary or a regular indicative verb.

 

[Gabriel Malheiros]

Who told you that? So that does not always take the subjunctive, in fact, in most cases, it's used with a modal auxiliary or a regular indicative verb.

But I have seen many cases in which "so that" is used with "would". Besides, the subjunctive is the correct form in many formal contexts.

 

[ewie]

When was this test written? Nobody says "lest" any more.

I have never ever used the word lest in all my 51½ years, not in speech, not in writing, other than in the sentence, "Don't ever use the word lest ~ you'll sound ridiculous if you do." Why on earth it should still be appearing in any English course or test is beyond my comprehension.

 

[Parla]

lest he'd lose his temper

lest he lose his temper

lest he loses his temper

 

[natkretep]

I have never ever used the word lest in all my 51½ years, not in speech, not in writing, other than in the sentence, "Don't ever use the word lest ~ you'll sound ridiculous if you do." Why on earth it should still be appearing in any English course or test is beyond my comprehension.

Well, presumably because you are still likely to encounter it? 'Lest we forget' comes up every Remembrance Sunday.

 

[spilorrific]

Philistine,
A typical AE way of approaching the sentence in your OP would be:
"Neither A nor A mentioned A's arrogant behavior for fear that he would lose his temper".... or something close.
Ewie,
I occasionally still use "lest" but only when I want to sound dramatic or nostalgic.
Occasionally I use "shan't," too.

 

[SReynolds]

But I have seen many cases in which "so that" is used with "would".

That's not the subjunctive, though. It can't be, "lest" (like "recommend" and "suggest") takes the present subjunctive, whereas what you're referring to is the past subjunctive of "will".

Besides, the subjunctive is the correct form in many formal contexts.

I'm not so sure about that either. In most formal situations, you'd use a modal auxiliary like "may" or "might". The Gettysburg Address says "for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live." It's a very formal speech but an auxiliary is used. The subjunctive is possible, but this conjunction does not "demand it", nor is it the "correct" choice.