Inversion. Part 2. Conditionals. so & such

Inversion. Part 2.

Conditionals

so & such

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INVERSION IN CONDITIONALS

to add emphasis

TYPE 0/1 

If you encounter an alien, do not attack it. -> 

Should you encounter an alien, do not attack it.

If you get too close to a black hole, it sucks you in. ->

Should you get too close to a black hole, it sucks you in.

SHOULD + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB (infinitive) + COMPLEMENTS, main clause

Note! Contracted negative forms are not used in inverted conditionals:

Should Batman not come, we will be in trouble. NOT: Shouldn't Batman come, we will be in trouble.

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If you're interested, we can go to the planetarium together.

, we can go to the planetarium together.

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Give me a ring if you are available tonight.

Give me a ring

available tonight.

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If your application is accepted, you will be studying in Atlanta next year.

, you will be studying in Atlanta next year.

TYPE 2

If I WERE you, I would major in quantum mechanics. -> 

WERE I you, I would major in quantum mechanics.

WERE + SUBJECT + COMPLEMENTS, main clause

If she MAJORED in physics, she could work for NASA. ->

Were she TO MAJOR in physics, she could work for NASA.

WERE + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB (to-infinitive) + COMPLEMENTS, main clause

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If I weren’t ill, I would watch Aliens with you.

ill, I would watch Aliens with you.

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If you put on a costume, nobody would recognise you.

a costume, nobody would recognise you.

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If it weren't so cloudy, we could see the comet.

so cloudy, we could see the comet.

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Everybody would laugh at me if I participated in the UFO Day celebrations.

Everybody would laugh at me

in the UFO Day celebrations.

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If he were offering us a better discount, I would buy you a telescope.

us a better discount, I would buy you a telescope.

TYPE 3

If she had seen the documentary about Queen Elizabeth I, she would know more about her. -> 

Had she seen the documentary about Queen Elizabeth I, she would know more about her.

HAD + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB (past participle) + COMPLEMENTS, main clause

Fill in the Blanks

If you had taken precautions, you wouldn't have started a fire in the chemistry lab.

precautions, you wouldn't have started a fire in the chemistry lab.

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If you had taken a photo of the flying object, I might believe you.

a photo of the flying object, I might believe you.

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If the O-rings hadn't failed, the Challenger disaster wouldn't have happened.

, the Challenger disaster wouldn't have happened.

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If a vaccine hadn't been developed, the virus wouldn't have been eliminated.

, the virus wouldn't have been eliminated.

INVERSION WITH SO AND SUCH

to add emphasis

so + ADJ/ADV + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + that...

SO + ADJECTIVE

She was so exhausted that she went straight to bed. ->

So exhausted was she that she went straight to bed.

SO + ADVERB

He played the tune so badly that nobody recognised it. ->

So badly did he play the tune that nobody recognised it.

SUCH + auxiliary verb + subject + that...

The extent of the damage was such that the car was a total write-off.

Such was the extent of the damage that the car was a total write-off.

She was such a beautiful woman that I fell in love immediately.

Such a beautiful woman was she that I fell in love immediately.

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He ran so quickly that the others couldn't catch up with him.

that the others couldn't catch up with him.

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The wind was so strong that we couldn't open the window.

that we couldn't open the window.

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The wind was such that we couldn't open the window.

that we couldn't open the window.

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The floods were so devastating that some areas may never recover.

that some areas may never recover.

END OF PART 2