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Sat 4 Aug, 2007 10:47 am
It's urgent that she phones the police
It's urgent that she phone the police
It's urgent that she should phone the police
If I had to choose one, which is the most correct? Or should the sentence be rephrased?
Re: most correct sentence
(1) It's urgent that she phones the police Most usual, probably, but many grammar books will tell you that it should be "phone" (see next sentence)
(2) It's urgent that she phone the police Technically the most correct. Proper use of subjunctive, but many people will say it sounds old fashioned.
(3) It's urgent that she should phone the police Wrong. Either It's urgent that..." OR "should" (in the sense of "ought to") but not both.
If you had to choose one, choose (2)