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Ask for help > Inversion of Conditionals
Inversion of Conditionals
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Maria Isabel
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Inversion of Conditionals
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Hello friends:
I am a little confused with inverted conditionals....I know that when it is the case of the third conditional the inversion is like:
Had I gone, I would have talked to her.
As for the second conditional when it uses the verb BE:
Were I you, I �d go and see a doctor.
But...the question is...what happens if I �m using a different verb in the second conditional, which of the 2 options is the correct, or is it none?:
If I found a wallet, I �d take it to the police would change to:
Did I find a wallet, I �d take it ....
or
Found I a wallet, I �d take it ... (this one sounds kind of weird)
I hope you can help.
Regards
Maria Isabel |
24 Aug 2009
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Spagman63
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Hi,
Did I find a wallet, I �d take it ....
This is a question not a statement. An inverted conditional would be "If I were you, I wouldn �t do that." to "I wouldn �t do that if I were you." You can �t go from one sentence form to another. They both need to stay as declarative sentences.
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24 Aug 2009
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Maria Isabel
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Thank you Spagman63 but I �m afraid I �d have to disagree with you because in the book I �m using with my Ss, as well as others I �ve checked, they call inverted conditional to what I wrote as examples, the thing is that they do not mention anything about how to invert second conditionals that use a different verb form the verb TO BE.
Thanks anyway.
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24 Aug 2009
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goodnesses
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I think "Did I find a wallet, I �d take it ...." is the correct one because in inversions we only use and auxiliary verb (be/have/do) before the subject.
But, I am not sure whether we can use inversion with any verb in second conditional.
We �ll have more instructive feed back, sure!
PS: Your sentences have nothing to do with interrogative form. Inversion is not used for question only as some may think.
May be this can help a bit.
From: Michael Swan (Practicle English Usage)
leaving out if: formal inversion-structures
In formal and literary styles, if can be dropped and an auxiliary verb put before
the subject. This happens mostly with were, had and should.
Were she my daughter, ... (= If she were my daughter ... )
Had I realised what you intended, ... (= If I had realised )
Should you change your mind, ... (= If you should change )
Negatives are not contracted.
Had we not missed the plane, we would all have been killed in the crash.(NOT Hadn´t we missed ... )
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24 Aug 2009
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Spagman63
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As far as I know, DID ALWAYS starts an interrogative. I have never seen a declarative start with did. And Maria, books are often wrong. What is the book you are referring to? Who is the author? What credentials does he/she have to write the grammar book?
"Had I found a wallet..." I know but not Did.
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24 Aug 2009
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Zora
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The correct form of the inverted second conditional is:
Were I to find a wallet, I �d hand it to the police.
Were he to clean his room, he �d see his clock was missing...
Did is not a correct way to start those sentences. They make no sense at all.
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24 Aug 2009
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Spagman63
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Did is not a correct way to start those sentences. They make no sense at all.
THANK YOU ,ZORA!!!!!
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24 Aug 2009
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goodnesses
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Thanks Zora, I couldn �t find any other example than those you and I gave.
Maria, I think Zora �s examples are the best for your sentences.
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24 Aug 2009
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Spagman63
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Maria,
I �m sorry my post was useless and not helpful at all. I �ll try to do better next time. I �m glad Zora was able to clarify things. After all, she is a native English speaker.
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24 Aug 2009
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domnitza
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I agree with Zora, the verb TO BE must be used here. I remember an inversion from "If I became a president I would..." - "WERE I TO BECOME a president I would...". I also think that these inversions are rarely used, so I would teach them only to the advanced students. |
24 Aug 2009
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Maria Isabel
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Thanks a lot to all of you! And again thanks for your support and useful help. |
24 Aug 2009
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