I would prefer that ...

[K56]

Hello,

Which one is correct?

1. I would prefer that there were no crime
2. I would prefer that there be no crime

I guess they both use the subjunctive and I wouldn't be surprised if both were correct... Be that as it may, the first one sounds a bit more natural to me. I wonder what others think about it.

Regards,
K56

[asil]

1. I would prefer that there were no crime
2. I would prefer that there be no crime

I guess they both use the subjunctive and I wouldn't be surprised if both were correct... Be that as it may, the first one sounds a bit more natural to me. I wonder what others think about it.
 

I'd consider both correct though the second one is certainly correct. The problem is that very few people would use it nowadays. The first one is much more 'relaxed' and hence more casual анд conventional.

Короче, если для теста, используйте второй вариант, если для 'жизни' - первый. И последнее, в современном английском это будет вообще звучать по-другому:
I'd prefer there was no crime. Люди более старшего поколения используют were
Честно говоря, если забыть на минутку о грамматике, то само по себе предложение достаточно неестественное. Последнее, естественно, IMHO.

[K56]

Уважаемый(ая) Asil,

Спасибо за ответ! Если честно, у меня все же остаются небольшие сомнения по поводу валидности 2-го варианта. Вот что я нашел в интернете на эту тему.

Человек спрашивал о правильности следующей фразы:
They would prefer that Britain become a monarchy.

Ответили, что лучше говорить и писать таким образом:
They would prefer that Britain became a monarchy.

Regards,
56K

[asil]

Человек спрашивал о правильности следующей фразы:
They would prefer that Britain become a monarchy.

Ответили, что лучше говорить и писать таким образом:
They would prefer that Britain became a monarchy.

I'd definitely say
They would prefer that Britain became a monarchy (a very strange sentence! Isn't it already?).  

Когда речь идет об 'мне': I'd prefer to stay in tonight and watch a movie.
Когда речь идет о 'ком-то': I'd prefer you stayed in tonight and watched a movie.

Вам наверное будет интересно узнать, что в BrE (AuE, NzE) subjunctive mood достаточно редкое явление, по сравнению с Америкой. Приведенные мной примеры, пожалуй, чуть ли не единственный случай употребления subjunctive mood в австалийском английском.
Поэтому вопрос остается открытым, зачем Вам это надо: для теста или 'для жизни'?

[K56]

Thanks asil for useful comments.
Ok, I still can't get it why

I would prefer that there be no crime

is perfectly correct while

They would prefer that Britain become a monarchy

is not so. I think they are equivalent from a grammatical point of view in a sense that somebody would prefer + the present tense subjunctive is employed in both. Is there a general rule? It would be helpful if somebody could elaborate on this.

Поэтому вопрос остается открытым, зачем Вам это надо: для теста или 'для жизни'?

For now, this is just out of sheer curiosity

[asil]

Thanks asil for useful comments.
Ok, I still can't get it why

I would prefer that there be no crime

is perfectly correct while

They would prefer that Britain become a monarchy

is not so. I think they are equivalent from a grammatical point of view in a sense that somebody would prefer + the present tense subjunctive is employed in both. Is there a general rule? It would be helpful if somebody could elaborate on this.

Поэтому вопрос остается открытым, зачем Вам это надо: для теста или 'для жизни'?

For now, this is just out of sheer curiosity

А, если речь идет о sheer curiosity, то это совсем другое дело!  :roll:

Тогда и комментарии будут совсем другиe. Видите ли, в реальной жизни это предложение (I would prefer that there be no crime) очень даже нереально. Увы! Во всяком случае, контекст очень ограничен. Начнем с того, что в этих случаях I'd rather более употребительно, чем  I'd prefer.  Во вторых, не совсем корректный register. Т.е. вроде бы контекст разговорный, а вот строение прдложение - очень уж формальное. Так что, если действительно необходимо что-то подобное сказать, то надо перефразировать. Например, I'd rather (I'd prefer to) live in a crimeless society (and who wouldn't btw?).

[nas2000]

'I'd prefer' similarly to 'I'd like' are normally followed by OBJECT+INFINITIVE, e.g
I'd prefer Russia to become a monarchy.

If you want to have in the sentence another SUBJECT+PREDICATE use subjunctive forms:
I'd rather Russia became (NOT become) a monarchy.
I wish Russia became a monarchy.

'I'd prefer there were/was/be no crime' doesn't sound right to me. I'd use either a conditional or subjunctive form.
I'd prefer if there wasn't any crime.
I wish there were no crime.