What's the difference in meaning between these English sentences?

Question

#1 It is important that she learns to control her temper.
#2 It is important that she learn to control her temper.

What about these?

#1 It is natural that he agrees with her about it.
#2 It is natural that he agree with her about it.

Answer 1

Wow, a subjunctive question!

You should be aware that many native speakers today do not have a distinction between the indicative and subjunctive moods, so many of the answers you receive here will not say that there is a difference in meaning, or they will say that #2 is grammatically incorrect. To tell you the truth, in my dialect, subjunctive can only be used with certain phrases. I think it's okay to use it with "important", but not with "natural". So be careful.

In #1 "learn" is used in indicative mood.
In #2 "learn" is used in subjunctive mood.

In general, the difference between these moods is that indicative is used to give information, while the subjunctive is used to express your wish for something.
In other words, #2 can mean something like, "I think that she should control her temper."

HOWEVER, in the example that you've given, #1 will also be interpreted as native speakers as a wish that she will control her temper, because if we want to give information only, we would say
"It is important that she is learning to control her temper."

Therefore, I would make a contrast in meaning between the following sentences:
"It is important that she is learning to control her temper." -> I know that she is learning to control her temper. I think that idea is important.
"It is important that she learn to control her temper." -> I think she should learn to control her temper.

Now that you know that the name of this grammar point is subjunctive, you can more easily look it up in your grammar book. Be careful! Subjunctive is almost completely gone from English, so it is only used in very limited contexts. The examples you've given seem to suggest that you're not aware of that.

Answer 2

I am so glad that someone worked out that the second sentence is also correct. There is a very subtle difference in meaning. The first sentence would be used in reference to someone who was in the process of learning to control her temper, but the second one implies that she needs to learn to control her temper.

I can't see your second set of examples in this screen, but I'm pretty sure it's the same difference there, as well.

ETA: In both cases, the first example refers to something that is happening and the second refers to something that should happen.

Answer 3

They are both grammatically correct. It's just that we don't use the subjunctive form in English - so it's much more common to see #1. While there might be differentiation in meaning in another language, in English the 2 sentences mean the same thing.

Answer 4

As I know #2 is incorrect according to the grammer.
"learn" needs "s" with it because it is representing the work of a singular person.

Answer 5

In both cases #1 is correct gramatically.
"s" needs to be added after the verbs in #2s to make them gramatically correct.

Answer 6

I believe that they are both gramatically correct. in both cases #1 is more commonly used. the only difference is the "s".

Answer 7

One of them is gramatically correct (1) and the other is not.

Answer 8

#2 is wrong cause learn is a plural verb, but she is singular...it should be #1

Answer 9

the second sentence doesnt have a plural verb making it incorrect

Answer 10

Number two is incorrect; "she... learn" is not right.