Subjunctive in adjective clause practice "E"

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laepelba

April 23, 2011, 08:03 AM

I found these exercises online, but there are no answers available. My answers are given in BOLD font. Please check to see if my answers are correct. Thank you for any corrections that you might be able to give me. :)

1. Mis padres necesitan otra hija: una hija que estudie (estudiar), que se ponga (ponerse) ropa conservadora, que conduzca (conducir) a la velocidad límite.
2. Dudo que mañana nieve (nevar).
3. El apartamento que tengo (yo: tener) ahora demasiado pequeño. Necesito uno que tenga (tener) muchas habitaciones.
4. Mi compañía quiere emplear a una persona que sepa (saber) tres idiomas. No creo que ellos pueda (poder) encontrar a alguien así.
5. Es obvio que vosotras salís (salir) demasiado por las noches. Es mejor que se queden (quedarse) en casa.
6. Quiero que tú estudies (estudiar) un poco más y que no salgas (salir) con tus amigos. Necesitas conocer a otras personas que no pierdan (perder) el tiempo en fiestas y tonterías.
7. Es mejor que te diviertas (divertirse) ahora que eres joven.
8. Tengo un coche que cuesta (costar) 27.000 euros.
9. No veo a nadie que pueda (poder) ser el profesor de historia.
10. Buscamos un apartamento que tenga (tener) un balcón grande.
11. No conozco a nadie que sepa (saber) la respuesta a la quinta pregunta del examen.
12. Busco un apartamento que sea (ser) barato pero grande.
13. Conozco un abogado que sabe (saber) mucho sobre inmigración.
14. Busco un apartamento que esté (estar) amueblado.
15. No hay ningún coche que me guste (gustar).
16. No hay nadie en mi familia que sea (ser) famoso o rico.
17. En esta tienda tienen un piano que mi padre quiere (querer) comprarme.
18. ¿No conoces a nadie que tenga (tener) tiempo para echarme una mano?
19. Tenemos un abogado que no es (ser) muy responsable.
20. No hay ningún viaje que me parezca (parecer) interesante.

Also, Perikles, can you look in that fancy etymology book you have and tell me about the different irregularities in conjugations for the verb "saber". For some reason I can NEVER remember the preterit or the subjunctive spellings for saber. I have to look it up EVERY SINGLE TIME ... and it's driving me crazy that I can't remember. Maybe if I see some etymological or historical reason why they are spelled the way they are, I'll remember......................

pjt33

April 23, 2011, 08:53 AM

laepelba

April 23, 2011, 09:13 AM

#4: ellos pueda?
#5: vosotras, not ustedes.
#16 y #20 me parece que debe ser indicativos, pero me baso principalmente en los instintos. Quizás porque se podrían cambiar fácilmente a "Nadie en mi familia ..." y "Ningún viaje me ...".

THANKS, pjt! I'll include corrections for #4 and #5 below.

But I have a question about your comment on #16 and #20. My book says that "when the main clause asserts that the antecedent doesn't exist, the subjunctive must be used in the subordinated adjective clause." It then goes on to give the following example: "No hay ninguna computadora aquí que funcione." Is it not your experience that subjunctive is used in this way?

4. Mi compañía quiere emplear a una persona que sepa (saber) tres idiomas. No creo que ellos puedan (poder) encontrar a alguien así. :duh:

5. Es obvio que vosotras salís (salir) demasiado por las noches. Es mejor que os quedéis (quedarse) en casa. (Soooo unused to the vosotros form....)

:?:16. No hay nadie en mi familia que sea (ser) famoso o rico.

:?:20. No hay ningún viaje que me parezca (parecer) interesante.

Are #4 and #5 correct now?

laepelba

April 23, 2011, 09:47 AM

9. No veo a nadie que pueda (poder) ser el profesor de historia.

Would #9 also be like #16 and #20? If it is subjunctive, then all three should be subjunctive ... or not....

EDIT: (Added later): what about #11, 15 & 18 as well?

pjt33

April 23, 2011, 10:08 AM

Actually I was tempted to comment that for #9 I thought an imperfect subjunctive was appropriate, but again that's instinct rather than something I can justify[1], and the exercise appears to be about the present tense only.

Hmm. #15 and #20 are identical, so my instinct is definitely leading me astray. With #16 I think it's the fact that you're really not talking about non-existence of a class but stating a property of a small, precisely specified, set which makes me feel that an indicative is appropriate.

Now just wait for the native speakers to come along and correct me.

[1] Attempting to justify after the fact, the question I'd be asking myself about each person I saw would be "¿Podría ser el profesor?" rather than "¿Puede ser ...?"

laepelba

April 23, 2011, 10:19 AM

Hmmm... I am interested to hear what the native speakers have to say, because I can't seem to reconcile that with what my book says (I'm sure I'm missing something....).....

Perikles

April 23, 2011, 10:36 AM

Also, Perikles, can you look in that fancy etymology book you have and tell me about the different irregularities in conjugations for the verb "saber". For some reason I can NEVER remember the preterit or the subjunctive spellings for saber. I have to look it up EVERY SINGLE TIME ... and it's driving me crazy that I can't remember. Maybe if I see some etymological or historical reason why they are spelled the way they are, I'll remember......................Sorry, my book gives no explanation - it is derived from a Latin verb which is regular in the preterite. But have a look at this link (http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::550::400::/sites/dl/free/0072862815/104541/flash_grammar_15.swf::Irregular%20Preterites)which gives the irregular stem changes in Spanish preterites. This might give you a pattern of some kind, or at least associate the verbs: estar; poner; saber; venir; traer; poder; querer; tener; decir; (haber)

Meanwhile, I'll search for an etymological explanation. :thinking:

laepelba

April 23, 2011, 12:26 PM

Thanks, Perikles ... That is helpful. I love listening to the stuff! :)

Luna Azul

April 23, 2011, 12:37 PM

4. Mi compañía quiere emplear a una persona que sepa (saber) tres idiomas. No creo que ellos pueda (poder) puedan encontrar a alguien así.

5. Es obvio que vosotras salís (salir) demasiado por las noches. Es mejor que se queden:bad: (quedarse) os quedéis en casa.

The rest are correct.. :applause:

laepelba

April 23, 2011, 01:07 PM

Thanks, Luna - so you don't have the same issues with #9,11,15,16,18,20 ("no hay nadie...")? Interesting......

Luna Azul

April 23, 2011, 01:47 PM

Thanks, Luna - so you don't have the same issues with #9,11,15,16,18,20 ("no hay nadie...")? Interesting......

No, I don't. ;)

aleCcowaN

April 23, 2011, 02:05 PM

...
9. No veo a nadie que pueda (poder) ser el profesor de historia.
...
16. No hay nadie en mi familia que sea (ser) famoso o rico.
...
20. No hay ningún viaje que me parezca (parecer) interesante.

All of those hardly have context where they can take indicative.

16 and 20 are typical instance of subjunctive pointing to the non-existence. There is a deep linking there with double negation, as subjunctive sets the non existence for sure. The joke "si no hay nadie, entonces hay alguien" tells it all.

9 is similar y many ways, but it contains a modal verb and a verb ("ver") with a meaning of "personal, not reality" so both things favours "pudiera" -it gives a touch of hypothesis to all the setting as the truth may be elsewhere, if such a thing even exist-.