The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Conditionals and inversion

In formal English, the subject and the auxiliary can be inverted in the if-clause with if omitted:

Should you see Kate

, say hi from me.

(if you should see Kate)

Were he to propose to you now

, what would you say?

(if he were to propose to you)

Were I you

, I would stop smoking.

(if I were you)

Were it not for Miguel

, we wouldn't know what to do now.

(if it weren't for Miguel)

Had we booked our flight earlier

, it would have been cheaper.

(if we had booked our flight earlier)

Had it not been for your foolishness

, we wouldn't have got lost.

(if it hadn't been for your foolishness)

Related topics:

Subject-auxiliary inversion