Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1Unless the board reverses its decision by Friday, the merger ............... before the end of the quarter.
Wrong!
Use "will not go ahead" after "unless" for a real future condition.
2Had the data been checked more carefully, the anomaly would ............... before publication.
Wrong!
Use "have been spotted" after "would" in a past unreal passive conditional.
3Provided that each witness remains available, the inquiry ............... within six weeks.
Wrong!
Use "can be concluded" because "provided that" introduces a real condition and a possible result.
4If you were to disclose the source now, the entire investigation ............... compromised.
Wrong!
Use "would be" for the result of the hypothetical condition "were to disclose".
5Were the software to fail during the launch, backup systems ............... automatically.
Wrong!
Use "would activate" after inverted "were" in a hypothetical conditional.
6If the species is deprived of light for long enough, it ............... dormant as a survival mechanism.
Wrong!
Use "becomes" because the sentence describes a general truth.
7Even if the minister ............... personally, the committee would still demand an independent review.
Wrong!
Use "were to apologise" because the result clause "would still demand" is hypothetical.
8Had it not been for the interpreter's intervention, the negotiations would ............... in complete confusion.
Wrong!
Use "have ended" after "would" in a past unreal conditional.
9So long as the temperature remains below zero, the vaccine ............... stable during transport.
Wrong!
Use "will remain" because "so long as" introduces a real future condition.
10If the report had been less ambiguous, investors ............... so sharply to the announcement.
Wrong!
Use "might not have reacted" for a possible result in a past unreal conditional.
11Should any participant wish to withdraw, their data ............... be removed from the final analysis immediately.
Wrong!
Use "will" because sentence-initial "should" introduces a formal real condition.
12If it had not been for her insistence on a second trial, the flaw in the prototype ............... undetected.
Wrong!
Use "might have remained" for a possible result in a past unreal conditional.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Unless the board reverses its decision by Friday, the merger will not go ahead before the end of the quarter.
- Had the data been checked more carefully, the anomaly would have been spotted before publication.
- Provided that each witness remains available, the inquiry can be concluded within six weeks.
- If you were to disclose the source now, the entire investigation would be compromised.
- Were the software to fail during the launch, backup systems would activate automatically.
- If the species is deprived of light for long enough, it becomes dormant as a survival mechanism.
- Even if the minister were to apologise personally, the committee would still demand an independent review.
- Had it not been for the interpreter’s intervention, the negotiations would have ended in complete confusion.
- So long as the temperature remains below zero, the vaccine will remain stable during transport.
- If the report had been less ambiguous, investors might not have reacted so sharply to the announcement.
- Should any participant wish to withdraw, their data will be removed from the final analysis immediately.
- If it had not been for her insistence on a second trial, the flaw in the prototype might have remained undetected.