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Conditionals / Inversion (without ‘if’)

By in Conditional Sentences, Past Perfect, Present Simple, Past Simple, First Conditional, Zero Conditionals on .




First Conditionals – Type I: (Real Present: Possible and Probable)

Replace ‘IF’ with ‘SHOULD’
Form: Should + Subject + 1st form of the Verb (v1)


Examples:

  • IF you do not wish to … .     ➤     SHOULD you not wish to … .

  • IF you choose … .                  ➤     SHOULD you choose … .

More Examples
If it rains, we’ll stay indoors.
Should it rain, we’ll stay indoors.

If you have finished the book, give it to me.
Should you finish the book, give it to me..

Second Conditionals – Type II: (Unreal Present: Possible but Improbable)

Replace ‘IF’ with ‘WERE’
Form:

  • Were + Subject + Noun / Adjective / Adverb / Past Participle (v3) / Verb-ing
  • Were + Subject + to – Infinitive / not to-Infinitive (v1)


Examples:
  • IF she were my girlfriend, … .     ➤     WERE she my girlfriend, … .

  • IF I left home, … .                           ➤     WERE I to leave home, … .

More Examples
If I were you, I’d tell her the truth.
Were I you, I’d tell her the truth.

If she won the lottery, she’d travel the world.
Were she to win the lottery, she’d travel the world.

Third Conditionals – Type III: (Unreal Past: Impossible)

Replace ‘IF’ with ‘HAD’
Form: Had + Subject + Past Participle (v3)


Examples:

  • IF it had not rained … .     ➤     HAD it not rained … .

  • IF I had known … .             ➤     HAD I known … .

More Examples
If she had arrived earlier, she could’ve helped us.
had she had arrived earlier, she could’ve helped us.

If I had seen you before, I could’ve given it to you.
Had I seen you before, I could’ve given it to you.

If they hadn’t robbed the bank, they wouldn’t have gone to jail.
Had they not robbed the bank, they wouldn’t have gone to jail.




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