Making Formal Suggestions with 'It's Time'
When using 'it's time' for formal suggestions, we emphasize the urgency and importance of the proposed action. This structure is particularly effective in professional, political, and social commentary contexts where the speaker wants to advocate for significant change.
Professional and Institutional Contexts
This structure is commonly used in business meetings, policy discussions, and public discourse when suggesting organizational or systemic changes. The past subjunctive adds gravity and formality to the suggestion.
Examples
It's time the board made a decision on this matter.Used in corporate settings to emphasize the urgency of executive action
It's time the university updated its research facilities.Formal suggestion for institutional improvement with implied criticism of current state
It's time the committee reviewed these outdated policies.Professional context suggesting necessary administrative action
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Incorrect: It's time the company will change its approach
✅ Correct: It's time the company changed its approach
Explanation: Use past subjunctive (changed), not future tense (will change)
❌ Incorrect: It's time that government does something
✅ Correct: It's time the government did something
Explanation: Use past form (did), not present tense (does), 'that' is optional
Tips for Success
- Use this structure when you want to make suggestions that carry institutional or professional weight
- The more formal the context, the more appropriate this structure becomes
- This form is particularly effective when addressing systemic or organizational issues
- Consider your audience – this structure may be too formal for casual suggestions
Learning Path Notes
Key Concepts in This Series:
- Building on basic subjunctive formation
- Extending to formal contexts
- Professional application of previously learned structures