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 #2 (permalink) Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:50 am inversion for IF clauses - type 2? |
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Hi,
I rarely use it but I've seen it used in exercises. For example:
If I were rich, I would buy a Ferrari.
===> Were I rich, I would buy a Ferrari. |
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Atomos
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| #3 (permalink) Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:59 am inversion for IF clauses - type 2? |
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Hi Nessie,
This inversion construction for conditionals is usually reserved for dramatic/poetic/emotive expressions. You could say: If I had known you were at the station, I would have offered you a lift. That's just a matter of fact statement. But you could say: Had I known what I now know, I would never have agreed to that ridiculous plan. Here you are expressing regret/anger/emotion.
Hope that clarifies.
Alan
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 Nessie
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| #5 (permalink) Wed Aug 20, 2008 18:04 pm inversion for IF clauses - type 2? |
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Hi, nessie
| Quote: |
Yea, I've seen sentences such as 'Were I rich, I would buy a Ferrari', but what about this: 'If you helped me, I would tell you the secret"
=> How can it be inverted? |
According to what I was taught, the correct inverted sentence will be "Were you to help me, I would tell you the secret." However, I've seen very odd inversion. For example:
Had I some money, I would buy myself a hotdog.
Link: http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/page/subj_aux_inversion
Is the above sentence correct? I think it should be "Were I to have some money, I would buy myself a hotdog." |
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Atomos
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| #6 (permalink) Sat Aug 23, 2008 18:20 pm inversion for IF clauses - type 2? |
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Actually, I am not taught much about inversion of IF clauses - type II. I did do exercises like 'were I rich, I would...', and I also heard (maybe for once) about 'were I you, I would...', but I've never gone further in this. My teachers mentioned nothing about 'Had I some money, I would...', so I really have no idea whether it's correct or not (a bit odd to my ears  ). Anyway, let's wait for some native speakers' ideas 
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Nessie
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| #7 (permalink) Sat Aug 23, 2008 18:48 pm inversion for IF clauses - type 2? |
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Hi Nessie
I'd say you'll rarely see that sort of inversion in a type 2 IF sentence unless, as Atomos mentioned, you use 'were'. (AmE) The inversion with 'were' would tend to sound much more formal than the "regular" uninverted version.
This sentence sounds ludicrous to me:
* Had I some money, I would buy myself a hotdog. 
I would only expect to hear someone say something like that as a joke.
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| any comment vs. any comments (singual or plural?) | Opinion: I have problems with phrasal verbs, usually they don't sound natural |
