The Rule
In formal and written English, we can omit if and invert the subject and auxiliary verb. This is common in business writing, contracts, presentations, and formal correspondence.
| Normal conditional | Inverted form |
|---|---|
| If you should need assistance... | Should you need assistance... |
| If I were in your position... | Were I in your position... |
| If we had known earlier... | Had we known earlier... |
| If this should prove difficult... | Should this prove difficult... |
| If there were any concerns... | Were there any concerns... |
Three main inverted forms:
Should + subject + infinitive — for first conditionals (possible situations)
Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Were + subject + infinitive / adjective — for second conditionals (hypothetical)
Were I to accept the offer, I would need more time to relocate.
Had + subject + past participle — for third conditionals (past hypothetical)
Had we received the funds earlier, we would have launched on time.
Should + subject + infinitive — for first conditionals (possible situations)
Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Were + subject + infinitive / adjective — for second conditionals (hypothetical)
Were I to accept the offer, I would need more time to relocate.
Had + subject + past participle — for third conditionals (past hypothetical)
Had we received the funds earlier, we would have launched on time.
Common Mistakes
Should you will need help, please contact us.
Should you need help, please contact us. (no 'will')
Were I in your position, I would have acted differently.
Were I in your position, I would act differently. (second cond. = present/future result)
Had we known, we would have act immediately.
Had we known, we would have acted immediately.
Should he would require assistance, direct him to HR.
Should he require assistance, direct him to HR.
Gap Fill — Press Enter to Check
Error Correction
Multiple Choice
Put the Words in the Correct Order
Sentence Transformation — Press Enter to Check
Conversation Practice
1
Rewrite 3 sentences from a formal email you have written recently using inverted conditional forms.
2
Discuss a hypothetical business scenario using 'Were we to...' and 'Should this...'
3
When might you use inverted conditionals in your work? Emails? Presentations? Contracts?
Homework
Rewrite these 4 sentences using inverted conditionals: (1) If you have any questions... (2) If we had more time... (3) If I were the manager... (4) If the budget had been approved... Then write 2 original sentences using inverted forms.