Complex Sentences: Inversion, Inversion in Conditionals

If you are reading this, it means you’ve studied conditionals and can understand them quite well.

Now let me introduce you to inversion in conditionals. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds.

You can often find inverted conditionals in formal speech or see it used for emphasis.

We can use inversion in first, second and third conditionals.

Let’s start with the first one:

If → should

The main verb → bare infinitive

A regular first conditional sentence:

If you need more time to complete the assignment, please let me know.

Inversion:

Should you need more time to complete the assignment, please let me know.

A regular first conditional sentence:

If Mr Smith calls, remind him about the meeting on Friday.

Inversion:

Should Mr Smith call, remind him about the meeting on Friday.

Inverted second conditional:

Were + Subject + to-inf

A regular second conditional sentence:

If we cancelled the meeting, the company would fire us.

Inversion:

Were we to cancel the meeting, the company would fire us.

Inverted third conditional:

Had + Subject + V3/ed

A regular second conditional sentence:

If I had known you wanted chocolate, I would have bought some.

Inversion:

Had I known you wanted chocolate, I would have bought some.

We can also use inversion in mixed conditionals. Have a look.

A regular second conditional sentence:

If I was smarter, I wouldn’t have married you.

Inversion:

Were I smarter, I wouldn’t have married you.

Other constructions with inversion:

Inversion after as and than in comparisons.

I was disappointed in your decision, as were all our colleagues.

We don’t invert the subject and verb after as or than when the subject is a pronoun.

I understand conditionals better than I did last year. 

The time adverbials never (before), rarely, seldom; barely/hardly/scarcely … when/before; no sooner … than:

Hardly had the lesson started when Tom ran outside.

Only + conjunction/preposition (inversion in the main clause)

Only if Jeremy apologises will he get ice cream.

At no time, in no way, on no account, under/in no circumstances:

Under no circumstances are you allowed to make any changes in the report.

Not only, not until, not since, not for one moment and also not a + noun:

Not for a moment did the police officer hesitate to cuff the offender.

Little with a negative meaning:

Little do they know how much money I’ve spent on books.

After so + adjective … that; such + be … that; neither …/nor…

So impressive was her performance that the audience didn’t want to leave.

Such + be at the beginning of a clause to emphasise the extent or degree of something:

Such is the irony of the whole situation that we have to ask Jane for help.

After neither and nor, when these words begin a clause.

James couldn’t dance, neither could his brothers.

As, though with may, might

Unlikely as it may sound, we did win the contest.

Try as (someone) might

Try as he might, Tom couldn’t convince his fiancée to convert to judaism.

No sooner … than

No sooner had we entered the building than a man approached us.

Ta-da! Should you have any questions, read again! ;)