虛擬條件句的從句部分如果含有were, should, 或had, 可將if省略，再把were, should或had 移到從句句首，實行倒裝。

Were they here now, they could help us.

=If they were here now, they could help us.

Had you come earlier, you would have met him

=If you had come earlier, you would have met him.

Should it rain, the crops would be saved.

=Were it to rain, the crops would be saved.

注意：

在虛擬語氣的從句中，動詞’be’的過去時態一律用"were"，不用was， 即在從句中be用were代替。

If I were you, I would go to look for him.

如果我是你，就會去找他。

If he were here, everything would be all right.

如果他在這兒，一切都會好的。

典型例題

_____ to do the work, I should do it some other day.

A. If were I B. I wereC. Were ID. Was I

答案C. 在虛擬條件狀語中如果有were, should, had這三個詞，通常將if省略，主語提前, 變成 were, should, had +主語的形式。但要注意，在虛擬條件狀語從句中，省略連詞的倒裝形式的句首不能用動詞的縮略形式。如我們可說 Were I not to do., 而不能說 Weren’t I to do.