Other types of Inversion

Had it not rained

Contracted negative forms are not possible when we use an inverted word order to talk about an unreal or impossible situation in the past.

Had she not helped me I would have been in bad trouble. (NOT Hadn’t she helped me I would have been in bad trouble.)

This is actually the inverted form of the sentence ‘If she had not helped me I would have been in bad trouble’.

Had it not rained yesterday, we would have finished painting the walls.

Of course, contracted negative forms are possible when we use normal word order.

If it had not rained yesterday, we would have finished painting the walls. OR If it hadn’t rained yesterday, we would have finished painting the walls.

If you hadn’t been so stupid as to reject that job offer, you could have attained financial independence now.

The third conditional sentences are used to talk about things that might have happened, but didn’t. Note that here we use a past perfect tense in the if-clause and would/could have + past participle in the main clause.

If it hadn’t rained yesterday, we would have hosted the party in the garden.

Should you not wish to

The inversion structure is also possible withshould.

The structure with should is used to talk about present and future conditions. Here again negative forms are not contracted.

Should you not wish to join them, you must let them know before 4 o’clock. (NOT Shouldn’t you…)

Should you decide the sell the house, I will be happy to buy it from you.

Note that here should does not show obligation. It is merely used as an alternative to the present simple tense.

If you decide to sell the house, I will be happy to buy it from you.

Were we to have

Inversion is also possible with were. This structure is used to talk about the imaginary or improbable future situations.

Were we to have kids, we would need a bigger house. (= If we were to have kids, we would need a bigger house.)

Conditionals

Mixed Conditional Patterns

PAST

PRESENT

Examples:

• If I had won the lottery, I would be rich.
  But I didn't win the lottery in the past and I am not rich now.
• If I had taken French in high school, I would have more job opportunities.
  But I didn't take French in high school and I don't have many job opportunities.
• If she had been born in the United States, she wouldn't need a visa to work here.
  But she wasn't born in the United States and she does need a visa now to work here.

PAST

FUTURE

Examples:

• If she had signed up for the ski trip last week, she would be joining us tomorrow.
  But she didn't sign up for the ski trip last week and she isn't going to join us tomorrow.
• If Mark had gotten the job instead of Joe, he would be moving to Shanghai.
  But Mark didn't get the job and Mark is not going to move to Shanghai.
• If Darren hadn't wasted his Christmas bonus gambling in Las Vegas, he would go to Mexico with us next month.
  But Darren wasted his Christmas bonus gambling in Las Vegas and he won't go to Mexico with us next month.

PRESENT

PAST

Examples:

• If I were rich, I would have bought that Ferrari we saw yesterday.
  But I am not currently rich and that is why I didn't buy the Ferrari yesterday.
• If Sam spoke Russian, he would have translated the letter for you.
  But Sam doesn't speak Russian and that is why he didn't translate the letter.
• If I didn't have to work so much, I would have gone to the party last night.
  But I have to work a lot and that is why I didn't go to the party last night.

PRESENT

FUTURE

Examples:

• If I didn't have so much vacation time, I wouldn't go with you on the cruise to Alaska next week.
  But I do have a lot of vacation time and I will go on the trip next week.
• If Cindy were more creative, the company would send her to New York to work on the new advertising campaign.
  But Cindy is not creative and the company won't send her to New York to work on the new campaign.
• If Dan weren't so nice, he wouldn't be tutoring you in math tonight.
  But Dan is nice and he is going to tutor you tonight.

FUTURE

PAST

Examples:

• If I weren't going on my business trip next week, I would have accepted that new assignment at work.
  But I am going to go on a business trip next week, and that is why I didn't accept that new assignment at work.
• If my parents weren't coming this weekend, I would have planned a nice trip just for the two of us to Napa Valley.
  But my parents are going to come this weekend, and that is why I didn't plan a trip for the two of us to Napa Valley.
• If Donna weren't making us a big dinner tonight, I would have suggested that we go to that nice Italian restaurant.
  But she is going to make us a big dinner tonight, and that is why I didn't suggest that we go to that nice Italian restaurant.

FUTURE

PRESENT

Examples:

• If I were going to that concert tonight, I would be very excited.
  But I am not going to go to that concert tonight and that is why I am not excited.
• If Sandy were giving a speech tomorrow, she would be very nervous.
  But Sandy is not going to give a speech tomorrow and that is why she in not nervous.
• If Seb didn't come with us to the desert, everyone would be very disappointed.
  But Seb will come with us to the desert and that is why everyone is so happy.

Exercise

Extra exercise 1 

Extra exercise 2 

Extra exercise 3 

Word Formation

List of words - click here

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3