INVERSION IN CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

If the first verb in a conditional if clause is SHOULD / HAD, we can leave out IF and put the
verb at the start of the clause. We do this particularly in formal English.
E.g.: Should any of this cost you anything, send me the bill. (= If any of this should cost
you.........
Had he not resigned, we would have been forced to sack him. (= If he hadnt resigned.....).Note
that in negative clauses with inversion, we dont use contracted forms.
Match the most likely sentence halves and then make new sentences beginning Should....., or Had......... .
1 If the government were forced into another
election,.........
2 If you should wish to make an appointment
to see Dr Simons,........
3 If she had become a lawyer, as her parents
wished,.......
4 If the chemicals were to leak,......
5 If you should have further problems with
your printer,......
6 If Germany were to beat Romania,......
7 If anything had gone wrong with my plan,...
8 If you should decide to accept the post,....

a you will be expected to start work on 1st April

b a large area of the sea would be contaminated
c I would have been held responsible.
d it would be the favourite to win.
e she would have earned a large salary.
f she is available between 9.00 and 11.00
g contact your dealer for advice.
h they would face Italy in the final.

Example: 1+ (d) Should the government be forced into another election, it would be the favourite to win.
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Write new sentences with similar meanings. Begin with the words given
1. John lent me money. Otherwise, I would have gone out of business.
Had.......................................................................................................
2. Return the product to the shop if you have any complaints about it.
Should..................................................................................................
3. I wouldnt have finished this book without Suzannes help.
If it.......................................................................................................
4. If you gave up your job, how could you live?
Supposing.............................................................................................
5. If it hadnt been for the rain, it would have been a nice picnic.
But for...................................................................................................
6. Assuming there are no problems, the shuttle will blast off on Friday.
Unless...................................................................................................
7. If you dont plant the seeds now, the plants will never grown in time for summer.
...............................................otherwise....................................................................
8. I will lend you my bike, if you take care of it.
......................................providing............................................

Correct these sentences where necessary.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Business letters had better be brief and to the point

Its cold outside, so you had better put on a warm coat.
I think children had better to cook at an early age.
Youd better not to go out tonight. Its raining.
As you are feeling ill, youd better not go to work.
Some plants had better not be grown in direct sunlight. It will damage their leaves.

Complete the sentences with should / ought to + infinitive (or a passive form) or should/ ought to have + past
participle using one of these verbs. In which one is ought to NOT possible?
Check
stay

keep
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

listen

meet

plan

receive

refrigerate

You .......................................................my reply by now.

This medicine...................................in a cool place. (from a medicine bottle label)
Heres someone you really .........................................
If youre feeling ill, I....................................at home today, if I were you.
To have got a better mark, you........................................................your answers more thoroughly.
According to the label, the jam.....................................after opening.
I think you......................................to him. He knew what he was talking about.
The results were completely wrong. As a scientist she................................................the experiment
more carefully.