Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one. Some sentences have two correct answers. Choose both.
1............... I known the committee would interpret my silence as consent, I would have objected in writing.
Wrong!
Use an inverted third conditional with Had plus subject plus past participle.
2............... you to retract that allegation, the matter could still be settled privately.
Wrong!
Use the formal inverted conditional with Were plus subject plus to-infinitive.
3............... the auditor call again, tell her the files are with Legal and nothing more.
Wrong!
Use the inverted first conditional with Should for a cautious, formal tone.
4............... it not for the whistleblower, the fraud would still be buried in the accounts.
Wrong!
The fixed expression is Were it not for to mean 'if it were not for'.
5............... it been anyone else, I might have believed the apology.
Wrong!
Use the past-unreal pattern Had it been for an unreal past situation.
6............... I to accept their offer, I would be endorsing a policy I publicly criticised.
Wrong!
Use the formal pattern Were I to plus base verb.
7............... the press get wind of this, the minister will deny everything on record.
Wrong!
Use Should for a tentative future possibility in an inverted conditional.
8............... I but known how vindictive he was, I would never have trusted him with the draft.
Wrong!
The idiomatic inversion is Had I but known, meaning 'if only I had known'.
9............... you need clarification, my assistant can walk you through the timeline.
Wrong!
Use the inverted first conditional with Should for a formal, tentative offer of help.
10............... the board to approve the merger, redundancies would be inevitable.
Wrong!
Use Were the board to plus base verb for a hypothetical future.
11............... it not been for her meticulous notes, we would have lost the case.
Wrong!
Use the past-unreal fixed form Had it not been for.
12............... the deadline slip again, we will trigger the penalty clause automatically.
Wrong!
Use the inverted first conditional with Should for a formal, cautious tone.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- Had I known the committee would interpret my silence as consent, I would have objected in writing.
- Were you to retract that allegation, the matter could still be settled privately.
- Should the auditor call again, tell her the files are with Legal and nothing more.
- Were it not for the whistleblower, the fraud would still be buried in the accounts.
- Had it been anyone else, I might have believed the apology.
- Were I to accept their offer, I would be endorsing a policy I publicly criticised.
- Should the press get wind of this, the minister will deny everything on record.
- Had I but known how vindictive he was, I would never have trusted him with the draft.
- Should you need clarification, my assistant can walk you through the timeline.
- Were the board to approve the merger, redundancies would be inevitable.
- Had it not been for her meticulous notes, we would have lost the case.
- Should the deadline slip again, we will trigger the penalty clause automatically.
