Conditionals without if: had I known, should you need, were I to – conditional inversion exercises for formal English
About this lesson
This C1 drill lesson gives conditional inversion exercises: had, should or were replaces if, as in formal letters and notices.
- Grammar
- Had I known… for the past and mixed times, Should you need… for what may happen, Were she to resign… and Were I you…, Were it not for and Had it not been for, and not after the subject.
- Topic
- Hotels: a guest's complaint about a noisy room at an invented Lisbon hotel, the manager's reply and memo, a review and a chat with the night receptionist.
- Activities
- True or false, sorting, choices, gap-fills, matching, rewrite tables, find-the-mistake quizzes, word order, drag-and-drop texts, a memory game and a chat.
What's inside
Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: conditionals without ifGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the if-clauses: which word starts them without if?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: start the condition without ifFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2Had I known: the past
- Fill in the gaps: had + subject + past participleFill in the gapsTry it
- Fill in the gaps: would have + past participleFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right words: negatives with hadChoose the optionUnlock
- Read Fenella's story and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Fill in the table: say it without ifFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
- Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 3Should you need: if it happens
- Fill in the gaps: should + subject + verb, without ifFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right words: should in notices and lettersChoose the optionTry it
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Fill in the table: rewrite the notice without ifFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: shouldQuizUnlock
- Read the building notice and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: shouldUnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 4Were I you: unreal, unlikely, all three
- Fill in the gaps: were + subject + to + verbFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right words: wereChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the table: rewrite the sentences without ifFill in the tableTry it
- Choose the right word to start the conditionChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: complete the condition without ifFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the offer letter and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Which sentence is correct? Choose the right oneQuizUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: Room 514
- Read the complaintReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the complaint again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read the hotel's reply and fill in the gaps without ifFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the manager's memo and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Read Dr. Voss's review and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right replies: you are Dr. VossChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right words: travelChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: a past participle or to + verbFill in the gapsUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: with if and without ifMemory gameUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: formal sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
- Fill in the table: the formal versionFill in the tableUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endings: mixed timesMatchUnlock
- Sort the conditions: the past, now or the future?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: everyday EnglishQuizUnlock
- Is it correct English? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: formal conditions without ifFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the airline's email and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Read the recall notice and fill in the gaps without ifFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right sentence for the situationQuizUnlock
- Read the news report and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
Grammar: conditionals without if: had, should, were
In formal English, if can drop out of a condition while the auxiliary moves in front of the subject: If I had known becomes Had I known. Only had, should and were open a clause this way, and the meaning stays the same. The version with if is still correct and is the everyday choice.
Had I known…, Should you need…, Were I to…
In formal English, you can leave out if and put had, should or were before the subject. The meaning stays the same.
Had + subject + past participle
Had stands for If… had: Had we left earlier, we would have caught the train. The main clause follows the result's time: would have + past participle for the past, would + verb for now: Had she taken the job, she would be living in Tokyo now.
Leave out if: the auxiliary comes first
Had · Should · Weresubjectthe rest of the conditionmain clause
Had I known, I would have called you.
Should you need help, call reception.
Were I you, I would wait.
Examples
- Had I known about the noise, I would have booked another hotel.= If I had known
- Had she taken the job, she would be living in Tokyo now.past condition, result now
- Should you require assistance, please call reception.= If you require
- Were the airline to cancel the flight, we would get a full refund.= If the airline were to cancel
- Were I in your position, I would ask for a refund.= If I were
- Had it not been for the map, we would have gotten lost.= If it hadn't been for
Should + subject + base verb
Should covers something that may happen and is common in notices, letters and instructions: Should you have any questions, please contact us. The verb keeps its base form for every subject: Should he call, Should it be. The main clause is an order or request, will, can, may or would.
Had…
- The past: Had we left earlier, we would have caught the train.
- A past condition with a result now (mixed): Had I studied harder, I would be a doctor now.
Should…
- Something that may happen. Very common in letters, notices and instructions: Should you have any questions, please contact us.
- The verb after the subject is always the base form: Should he call, Should it be.
Were…
- Were + to + verb, an unlikely future: Were the hotel to close, 200 people would lose their jobs.
- Were + noun, adjective or place, unreal now: Were I in charge, I would change the rules.
Were: an unlikely future or an unreal now
Were + subject + to + verb imagines an unlikely future: Were the airline to cancel the flight, we would get a full refund. Were + a noun, adjective or place is unreal now: Were I in your position… Were serves every person: Were she here, she would help.
| With if | Without if | Main clause |
|---|---|---|
| If I had known… (the past) | Had I known… | would / could / might have + past participle |
| If I had taken the job… (past → now) | Had I taken the job… | would + verb: I would be rich now. |
| If you need / should need help… (it may happen) | Should you need help… | an order or request, will, can, may or would |
| If she were to win… (unlikely future) | Were she to win… | would / could / might + verb |
| If I were you… (unreal now) | Were I you… | would / could / might + verb |
| If it weren't for your help… (now) | Were it not for your help… | would / could + verb |
| If it hadn't been for your help… (past) | Had it not been for your help… | would / could have + past participle |
Were it not for, had it not been for
Were it not for + noun is about now, Had it not been for + noun about the past. In every negative, not follows the subject in full: Had I not seen it, Should you not wish to stay, Were he not so busy. Hadn't I seen it is wrong.
| With if | Without if | Not this |
|---|---|---|
| If I hadn't seen it… | Had I not seen it… | Hadn't I seen it… |
| If you don't wish to stay… | Should you not wish to stay… | Shouldn't you wish to stay… |
| If he weren't so busy… | Were he not so busy… | Weren't he so busy… |
| If it weren't for you… | Were it not for you… | Weren't it for you… |
Slips to watch for
Students write Had I knew for Had I known, Should you will need for Should you need and Were he resign without to. Another slip keeps if and inverts as well: If had I known.
Common mistakes
Had I knew about it, I would have come.
Had I known about it, I would have come.
had + past participle
Should you will need help, call us.
Should you need help, call us.
should + base verb
Were he resign, the team would collapse.
Were he to resign, the team would collapse.
were + to + verb for a future action
Hadn't we missed the bus, we'd be home now.
Had we not missed the bus, we'd be home now.
not after the subject
Formal, but not the only way
Both forms are correct and mean the same: If I had known is everyday English, Had I known is formal (letters, reports, speeches). Only had, should and were work like this, and were is used for every person: Were she here, she would help. No contractions: Had I not, never Hadn't I. And never if + inversion: not If had I known.
More lessons on this grammar: Third and mixed conditionals lessons and exercises
Try the conditional inversion exercises
Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.
What's in the lesson
- 42 auto-checked exercises
- 4 games
- 1 real-life document
- 1 grammar scheme
- 1 picture
The main objectives of this lesson are to:
- replace if with had for the past: Had I known about the bar when I booked, I would have chosen another hotel.
- write Should you… + base verb in notices and letters: Should you require copies of my receipts, I would be happy to send them.
- imagine an unlikely future with Were… to: Were the company to close the factory, 300 people would lose their jobs.
- put not after the subject, never contracted: Had we not missed the ferry, not Hadn't we missed the ferry
- match the main clause to the time: Had I taken the job in Boston, I would be living there now.
- Grammar:
- inverted conditionals · conditionals without if · had I known · should you · were I to · formal English
- Topic:
- grammar practice · hotels · complaints · formal letters
Teaching tips
- Make a hotel's house rules formal: give pairs five plain sentences from a notice, such as If you need towels, call housekeeping, and have them rewrite each one with Should.
- Build a chain of what-ifs: start from one small event, like a missed bus, and each student adds a line with Had…: Had she caught that bus, she would never have met him.
- Phone the hotel: after the real-life chapter, pairs play Dr. Voss and the manager, and each speaker must use one Had…, one Should… and one Were… line.
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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · C1
English Grammar Practice · C1 has 16 drill lessons on advanced grammar, one point each: inversion, cleft sentences, the subjunctive, advanced passives, ellipsis, nominalization, hedging, fronting and concession. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course
- 1Inversion: never have I been so nervous!
- 2Conditionals without if: had I known, should you need, were I to
- 3Cleft sentences: it's the focus that counts
- 4Advanced passives: who was told what?
- 5The subjunctive: it's essential that everyone be honest
- 6Likelihood: is it bound to happen?
- 7Be to, about to, due to, set to: the first tram is about to leave
- 8Ellipsis and substitution: I hope so, I'd love to
- 9Nominalization: from “sales fell” to “a fall in sales”
- 10Advanced participle clauses: weather permitting
- 11Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree
- 12Alternatives to if: supposing they say no?
- 13Fronting: strange as it may seem
- 14Advanced relative clauses: the rules, all of which are new
- 15However, whatever, no matter how: whatever happens, keep running
- 16Contrast and concession: office or home?