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!
"Will not go ahead" is correct because "unless" introduces a real future condition.
2Had the data been checked more carefully, the anomaly would ............... before publication.
Wrong!
"Have been spotted" is correct because this is a past unreal conditional with "would have".
3Provided that each witness remains available, the inquiry ............... within six weeks.
Wrong!
"Can be concluded" is correct because "provided that" sets a real condition for a possible result.
4If you were to disclose the source now, the entire investigation ............... compromised.
Wrong!
"Would be" is correct because "were to" normally takes a hypothetical result with "would".
5Were the software to fail during the launch, backup systems ............... automatically.
Wrong!
"Would activate" is correct because inverted "were" introduces a hypothetical condition.
6If the species is deprived of light for long enough, it ............... dormant as a survival mechanism.
Wrong!
"Becomes" is correct because this sentence states a general truth.
7Even if the minister ............... personally, the committee would still demand an independent review.
Wrong!
"Were to apologise" is correct because "would still demand" signals a hypothetical condition.
8Had it not been for the interpreter's intervention, the negotiations would ............... in complete confusion.
Wrong!
"Have ended" is correct because "had it not been for" introduces a past unreal condition.
9So long as the temperature remains below zero, the vaccine ............... stable during transport.
Wrong!
"Will remain" is correct because "so long as" introduces a real future condition.
10If the report had been less ambiguous, investors ............... so sharply to the announcement.
Wrong!
"Might not have reacted" is correct because this is an unreal past result.
11Should any participant wish to withdraw, their data ............... be removed from the final analysis immediately.
Wrong!
"Will" is correct 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!
"Might have remained" is correct because "if it had not been for" requires a past unreal result.
Done.
Score: 0/12
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.
