Look at these examples to see how we can create conditionals with inversion.
Should you have any questions, I will be happy to help.
Were they to sell their house today, they would make a huge profit on it.
I would've taken you out for lunch had I known you were in town.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
We use conditionals to describe the result of a condition. Often, we use if to introduce the condition (e.g. If you feel hot, …) and the main clause to give the result (... feel free to switch on the aircon).
Conditional sentences can also be created without if, using inversion. Inversion means reversing (inverting) the normal subject–verb word order in a sentence. This makes the sentence more formal.
Three types of conditionals can be formed using inversion: first, second and third conditionals.
First conditional
We use the first conditional to talk about future situations we believe are possible.
Marker pens are in the cupboard if you ever need one.
If a customer wishes to cancel their booking, they should notify us within seven days.
To invert first conditional sentences, we replace if with the auxiliary verb should and change the verb into the infinitive. This makes the situation seem a little less likely. It is often used to make a polite request or offer.
Marker pens are in the cupboard should you ever need one.
Should a customer wish to cancel their booking, they should notify us within seven days.
Second conditional
We use the second conditional to talk about situations that we consider unlikely or impossible in reality.
How would the environment be affected if everyone reduced their meat consumption?
If the Sun disappeared, Earth would no longer be able to support life.
To invert second conditional sentences, we replace if with were and change the verb form to to + infinitive.
How would the environment be affected were everyone to reduce their meat consumption?
Were the Sun to disappear, Earth would no longer be able to support life.
Note that if a second conditional sentence uses the verb be, we don't need the infinitive for the inverted version. We just replace the existing form of be with were, and invert the subject and verb.
If California were a country, it would be one of the world's largest economies.
Were California a country, it would be one of the world's largest economies.
Third conditional
The third conditional is used to imagine a change in a past situation and how things would have been different in the past as a result.
If we had lost that match, it would've been a disaster.
We would have fixed that problem by now if we'd known about it earlier.
To invert third conditional sentences, we remove if and invert the subject and the auxiliary verb had.
Had we lost that match, it would've been a disaster.
We would have fixed that problem by now had we known about it earlier.
Negative inverted conditionals
To make negative inverted conditionals, we put not after the subject.
Should you not consent to sharing this information, you may inform our company at any time. (= If you don't consent …)
Were I not good at maths, I'd find this homework very challenging. (= If I wasn't good at maths …)
Had I not been busy this morning, I would have attended the meeting. (= If I hadn't been busy …)
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
If the river floods, a lot of people will have to be evacuated.
Should the river FLOOD, a lot of people will have to be evacuated.
If he has the right qualifications, I am sure they will offer him the job.
Should he HAVE the right qualifications, I am sure they will offer him the job.
Why are the verbs above not 'floods' and 'has' when the subjects are singular? Please answer this I'm so confused.
Hi 343463,
It's because in the inverted form, the modal verb "should" is used. After "should", the next verb needs to be in the base infinitive form.
I hope that answers your question.
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
"Note that if a second conditional sentence uses the verb be, we don't need the infinitive for the inverted version. We just replace the existing form of be with were, and invert the subject and verb.
I have a similar sentence:
"If you were less than delighted with our product, we will refund your money immediately.
WERE you less than delighted with our product, we will refund your money immediately."
This sentence doesn't use the "to be" infinitive. But in this sentence, it uses the verb be like the previous sentence:
"If you were late for a job interview, what would you do?
WERE you TO BE late for a job interview, what would you do?"
It also uses "to be" infinitive, which the previous sentence doesn't have. I don't understand why both sentences use "were" but the way both are rewritten in the inversion structure is different?
Hello Stor,
Your first example follows the pattern, as you say:
You can also create a sentence with 'to':
Your second sentence could also follow the pattern:
And, as you say, you can also create a sentence with 'to':
So we can see that the pattern is consistent. The question, then, is how the version with 'to' differs from the version without. The answer is that the form with 'to' describes a hypothetical case in the future rather than just an imaginary situation. It often describes an imagined choice or change. For example:
The context is important here, of course, but that's the general difference.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
dear teachers, I saw this sentence in a book: I haven't ever felt so lonely. And its inversion is "Never had I felt so lonely". I think it should be "Never have I felt so lonely" according to the tense of the original sentence. Can you explain this to me?
Hello Stor,
No, I can't explain it. I think you're right and you should contact the author of the book to see why they changed the time of the verb here. Unless it is part of reported speech I don't see it as necessary.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello, can you help me please? Is it feasible to use provided/ providing that in the second and third conditionals? Thank you
Hello Yasmi97,
Could you please give an example?
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Hi! May I ask why question 7 isn't
What would Leonardo da Vinci think about modern technology were he to be alive right now? Why is it only were he?
Hi jarettnguyenuwu,
If a second conditional sentence uses "be" as the main verb in the "if" clause, to make the inversion we can just add "were" + subject, and we don't need to add the infinitive "to be" after that.
It is still possible to add the infinitive, and "were he to be alive" is grammatically correct. But the instructions for this question state "Use two or three words in each gap". :)
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team