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 "Had" before the subject and past participle for a formal third conditional.
2............... you to retract that allegation, the matter could still be settled privately.
Wrong!
Use "Were" before the subject and to-infinitive for a formal hypothetical situation.
3............... the auditor call again, tell her the files are with Legal and nothing more.
Wrong!
Use "Should" before the subject and base verb for a formal possible future event.
4............... it not for the whistleblower, the fraud would still be buried in the accounts.
Wrong!
Use "Were" in the fixed conditional phrase "Were it not for".
5............... it been anyone else, I might have believed the apology.
Wrong!
Use "Had" before the subject and past participle for an unreal past condition.
6............... I to accept their offer, I would be endorsing a policy I publicly criticised.
Wrong!
Use "Were" in the pattern "Were I to" for a formal hypothetical choice.
7............... the press get wind of this, the minister will deny everything on record.
Wrong!
Use "Should" before the subject and base verb for a tentative future possibility.
8............... I but known how vindictive he was, I would never have trusted him with the draft.
Wrong!
Use "Had" in the emphatic formal phrase "Had I but known".
9............... you need clarification, my assistant can walk you through the timeline.
Wrong!
Use "Should" before the subject and base verb for a formal offer of help.
10............... the board to approve the merger, redundancies would be inevitable.
Wrong!
Use "Were" in the pattern "Were the board to" for a formal hypothetical future.
11............... it not been for her meticulous notes, we would have lost the case.
Wrong!
Use "Had" in the past-unreal phrase "Had it not been for".
12............... the deadline slip again, we will trigger the penalty clause automatically.
Wrong!
Use "Should" before the subject and base verb for a formal future condition.
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.