Inverted Conditionals

I. First conditional:
Ex1: If he remembers his own name, we’ll be able to help him.
 Should he remember his own name, we’ll be able to help him.
Ex2: If you finish the book, give it to me.
.........................................................................................................................................................
II. Second conditional:
Ex1: If I were you, I would study harder.
 Were I you, I would study harder.
Ex2: If he pushed the button, we’d all have problems.
 Were he to push the button, we’d all have problems.
Ex3: If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
.........................................................................................................................................................
III. Third conditional:
Ex1: If we’d arrived sooner, we wouldn’t have missed the beginning.
 Had we arrived sooner, we wouldn’t have missed the beginning.
Ex2: If he hadn’t robbed the bank, he wouldn’t have gone to prison.
.........................................................................................................................................................

1. If he were over 18, we would allow him to join the Python club.
....................................................................................................................................................
2. If we’d bought that property, we’d be rich now.
....................................................................................................................................................
3. If she refuses the offer, we’ll raise the price.
....................................................................................................................................................
4. If I’d woken up earlier, I wouldn’t have missed the boat.
....................................................................................................................................................
5. If we weren’t so clever, we wouldn’t have got the contract.
....................................................................................................................................................
6. If James doesn’t remember, we’ll have to start again.
....................................................................................................................................................
7. If they hadn’t arrived in time, they wouldn’t have been able to rescue the giraffe.
....................................................................................................................................................
8. If you’re studying, turn off the T.V.
....................................................................................................................................................
9. If she doesn’t phone soon, we’ll have to leave
....................................................................................................................................................
SO/AS LONG AS, PROVIDING/PROVIDED (THAT)
So/As long as and providing/ provided (that) can be used instead of if to express a condition. Note
that providing/provided (that) is a bit formal:
Ex: You can stay here as long as you keep quiet.
Provided/Providing (that) the bills are paid, tenants will not be evicted.
IF IT WEREN’T FOR / IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR, BUT FOR
These expressions mean “without”. They are used in second and third conditionals and are
usually followed by a noun phrase
Ex: - If it weren’t for Miguel, we wouldn’t know what to do now.
(Without Miguel...)
- If it hadn’t been for your foolishness, we wouldn’t have got lost.
(If you hadn’t been such a fool...)
- But for your help, I would have been in big trouble.
(Without your help... / If you hadn’t helped me...)
Without
But for + noun phrase
If it weren’t for
If it hadn’t been for
Ex: Without my father’s help, I couldn’t have managed our business.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ex: If his teacher didn’t encourage him greatly, he wouldn’t join his school football team.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Rewrite these sentences, using inversion of conditionals
1. If it stopped raining, we could go out and go home.
…………………………………… raining, we could go out and go home.
2. If dad had been hungry, he would have eaten something.
………………………………………. hungry, he would have eaten something.
3. If we had had a camera, we might have taken some photos of the wedding.
………………………………… a camera, we might have taken some photos of the wedding.
4. If they buy expensive clothes, they will spend all the money.
…………………………………………… expensive clothes, they will spend all the money.
5. If she comes late again, she may lose her job.
………………………………………. late again, she may lose her job.
6. If She knew a little English, she could start that job.
……………………………………. a little English, she could start that job.
7. If I had known the truth, I would have told you.
…………………………………………….. the truth, I would have told you.
8. If we go by taxi, we won’t be late.
……………………………………………….. by taxi, we won’t be late.
9. If Tom had studied harder, he could have passed the exam.
………………………………………………… harder, he could have passed the exam.
10. If she were at home, she would answer the phone.
………………………………………… at home, she would answer the phone.
Fill in the blanks with the correct verb form according to “inversion of conditionals” structure.
1. (the books/ be) ________________________________ cheaper, I would have bought them all.
2. (the Prime Minister/ fail) ________________________________ to get the necessary support,
he would be forced to call a snap election.
3. (the evidence/ not be destroyed) ________________________________, the accused would
have been found guilty.
4. (you/ need) _______________________ any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact us.
5. (the ship/ not capsize) ________________________________, there would have been more
survivors.
6. (I/ win) _____________________________ the prize, I wouldn’t spend it on things I don’t need.
7. (the storm/ be) ________________________________ at night, the rescue team wouldn’t have
found the lost boy scouts.
8. (he/ decide) ________________________________ to come, please let me know as soon as
possible.
9. (I/ be offered) ________________________________ the job, I would have to think about it.
10. (you/ have) ________________________________ any further questions, please ask to see the
manager.
Choose the best answer
1. If you _____________ him, he _____________ left out.
A. hadn’t invited ... would feel B. didn’t invite ... would have felt
C. hadn’t invited ... might have felt D. don’t invite ... might have felt
2. We _________ lots of troubles ___________.
A. would have ... but for you B. would have ... if you had helped us
C. would have had ... but for your help D. would have had ... if you had helped us
3. If you _________ Kate, could you inform me?
A. could meet B. meet C. would meet D. should meet
4. _________ the yesterday’s storm, we _________ there now.
A. Hadn’t it been for ... would have been B. Had it not been for ... might be
C. Hadn’t it been for ... would be D. Had it not been for ... could have been
5. _________ about that incident, I ___________ in trouble but, fortunately, nobody told him.
A. Did he find out ... would be B. Had he found out ... would have been
C. Did he find out ... would have been D. Had he found out ... would be
6. If the weather _________ bad, we _________ at home.
A. is ... will always stay B. were ... always stayed
C. were ... would always stay D. had been ... would stay
7. If I _________ a little stronger, I _________ that competition.
A. were ... would win B. had been ... would had won
C. were ... would have won D. had been ... would won
8. If only I _________ so much, I _________ much better now.
A. didn’t eat ... would feel B. hadn’t eaten ... would have felt
C. didn’t eat ... would have felt D. hadn’t eaten ... would feel
9. I _________ if you _________.
A. would rather ... don’t go B. would prefer ... didn’t
C. would rather ... wouldn’t go D. would prefer it ... didn’t go
10. If my mum _________ us yesterday, we _________ hurry now.
A. had packed ... wouldn’t have to B. had packed ... won’t have to
C. packed ... wouldn’t have to D. had packed ... wouldn’t have had to
11. If it _________ Paul, we _________ that game.
A. weren’t ... would have lost B. hadn’t been for ... would have lost
C. weren’t for ... would lost D. hadn’t been for ... would lost
12. Drink a coffee if it _________ you feel better.
A. will make B. would make C. make D. made
13. If you _________ your exam, you _________ learn now.
A. passed ... wouldn’t have to B. had passed ... wouldn’t have had to
C. passed ... wouldn’t have had to D. had passed ... wouldn’t have to
14. I _________ it for you _________ help me.
A. will do ... if you don’t B. will do ... unless you
C. will do ... provided you D. won’t do ... only if you
15. _________ anyone wish to access the information on the status of his or her order, the
password should be entered.
A. If B. Should C. Whether D. As though
16. _________ it be necessary, you can print out your form and then send it to us by fax or postal
service.
A. Since B. Should C. Unless D. When
17. _________ John worked hard, he would have been promoted last year.
A. If B. Were C. Should D. Had
18. _________ the patient’s condition get worse, the nurse will call in an internist.
A Might B. Unless C. Should D. If
19. _________ she wish to have more detailed information, please consult your employee
handbook.
A. Would B. Could C. Might D. Should
20. _________ Mary study hard, she will pass the exam.
A. If B. Should C. Were D. Had
21. _________ they stronger, they could lift the table.
A. If B. Should C. Were D. Had
22. _________ Mary studied hard, she would have passed the exam.
A. If B. Should C. Were D. Had
23. _________ I to learn English, I would read an English book.
A. If B. Should C. Were D. Had
24. _________ I you, I wouldn’t turn down his invitation.
A. Do B. Should C. Were D. Had
25. _________ Adam Levine, I might not have met you.
A. Had it not for B. Had not it been for
C. Had it no been for D. Had it not been for
26. _________, you would have succeeded in your business.
A. If you listened to my advice B. Were you to listen to my advice
C. Had you listened to my advice D. As long as you listened to my advice
27. _________, he would have been able to pass the exam.
A. If he studied harder last year B. Provided he studied hard last year
C. Studying harder last year D. Had he studied harder last year
28 My father paid my fees. _________ that, I wouldn’t be here now.
A. If there were not B. But for
C. Had it not been for D. B and C are correct
29. It would have been a much more serious accident _________ fast at the time.
A. had she been driving B. was she driving
C. she had driven D. she drove
30. _________ interested in that subject, I would try to learn more about it.
A. Were I B. Should I C. I was D. If I am
31. _________ then what I know today, I would have saved myself a lot of time and trouble over
the years.
A. Had I known B. Did I know C. If I know D. If I would know
Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the
following questions.
1. What do (A) you do (B) if you won the first (C) prize of the lottery?
2. Would people be able(A) to fly (B), if they have (C) feathers instead of (D) hair?
3. George now(A) wishes he hasn’t (B) broken (C) his encouragement with (D) Marian.
4. If Peter had been more (A) careful (B), he wouldn’t break (C) the camera I lent (D) him.
5. He wouldn’t have able(A) to pass (B) the test if his English hadn’t been (C) good enough (D).
6. If a drop(A) of oil is placed (B) in a glass of water, it would (C) float on (D) the surface.
Read the text about poor old Marge and then complete the third conditional sentences about her
day using the prompts provided.
Only use contractions for negatives, e.g. wouldn’t / didn’t, etc.
Marge is a woman of 55 who lives on her own in a small house in Scotland. She did not have a
very nice day yesterday!
As she was leaving the house, she forgot her bus ticket. Only when she got to the bus stop did she
realise this, so she had to hurry back to the house. She opened the door, put the keys on the
telephone table, went into the kitchen to get her bus ticket and left again without her keys.
She caught the 8.42 a.m bus instead of her usual 8.30 a.m bus and arrived at work about ten
minutes late. Mr. Jones, her boss, was in a bad mood yesterday and shouted at her when she arrived
late. As a result, they had an argument in front of all the other people in the office. Mr. Jones told
her she would have to stay behind for fifteen minutes at lunch to finish some important work.
At lunch, Marge only had time for a quick sandwich and didn’t go to the office cafeteria with the
others as normal. Everyone returned from lunch very happy because they had met a new employee
who had told some very funny jokes. Marge was not happy. She was hungry and tired.
She was so hungry as she left the office at 5 o’clock that she bought a hot dog from the man on the
street corner. Within an hour, she didn’t feel very well and had a pain in her stomach. It was not her
day!
She arrived home and realised she didn’t have her keys, so had to walk two miles to her sister’s
house to get a spare set of keys. She went into her house, closed the door and went straight to bed.

1. if \ not \ forget \ bus ticket \ not \ have to \ return home

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. if \ not \ put \ keys on table \ not \ forget them
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. she \ not late \ if \ catch \ an earlier bus
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. her boss \ not \ shout at her \ if \ not \ be \ bad mood
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. if \ Marge \ not late \ they \ not argue \ in office
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. Marge \ meet \ new worker \ if \ go \ to canteen
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. if \ not buy \ hot dog \ not \ feel unwell
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. she \ have \ better day \ if \ stay \ in bed all day!!!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..