Indicating obligation and willingness
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Using the subjunctive with adjectives of obligation | page 3 of 5 |
To indicate strong obligation
As with suggestions, when adjectives are used to indicate strong obligation, the modal should can be omitted, creating a rather formal effect:
It's vital that he [^] get inside the Lair. (Bank of English)
It's vital that he [should] get inside the Lair.
It is essential that there [^] be good study facilities in a student's lodgings.
(Bank of English)
It is essential that there [should] be good study facilities in a student's lodgings.
Here, the speaker is saying that in his opinion, students' lodgings should have good
study facilities. Because the word essential carries such strong meaning by itself,
the speaker does not need to use a modal to emphasise his opinion.
For further information about omitting words, see 
Developing
cohesion: Ellipsis.
The speaker can use the subjunctive to refer to a third party when commenting on a situation:
It was vital that he swallow the story about Juanita being in that motel room using coke and poppers. (Bank of English)
or directly to the hearer:
It is vital that you get a good night's rest.
Note that the subjunctive can also be used with a small number of verbs and nouns of obligation:
Mrs Fan has in recent years become an outspoken critic of the boat people problem and has urged that they be taken back to Vietnam as quickly as possible. (SCMP 13/6/92)
The verbal battle between China and Britain took a serious turn for Hongkong yesterday following Beijing's demand that it be consulted on appointments to the Executive Council. (SCMP 20/6/92)
To indicate strong obligation
