Sentences and clauses of implied condition.

Exercise 45. Analyze the form of the verb in the following sentences. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. But for his temper he would be pleasant to work with. 2. But for his help we would still be working on this problem. 3. But for his help we would have been working on that problem for hours. 4. But for the wall-paper the room would look quite nice. 5. That was all we could do. We wouldn’t have been able to do even that but for you. 6. But for him we would never have found the way. 7. Except for her breathing one would’ve thought she was dead. 8. But for his will-power we would never have got so far with our plan. 9. But for the climate the place would be charming... quite charming. 10. But for the lack of time, he would have gone through every story in the book thoroughly. As it was, he just managed to get the gist of it. 11. But for his sad smile one might have thought he was content. 12. But for his profuse apology she might have harboured a feeling of resentment. 13. Robert thought he would have been treated more kindly but for his clumsiness. 14. But for my help he would have failed at the final exam. 15. But for you I would give up everything. 16. I’d never have got a job like that off my hands, but for you help. 17. But for him she wouldn’t have got these dictionaries. 18. But for that letter on the table she wouldn’t accuse you. 19. But for Bess we should have no money. 20. But for the darkness they shouldn’t have lost their way. 21. But for your friendship I’d have felt lonely here.

Exercise 46. Use the correct form of the infinitives in brackets.

1. But for the headache I (to go) to see you yesterday. 2. But for the headache I (to go) to see them right now. 3. But for the weather he (to ski) in the park now. 4. But for the weather we (to go skiing) in the park yesterday. 5. But for his slight accent one (may take) him for an Englishman. 6. One (may take) him for an Englishman but for the accent. The moment I heard him talk I knew he was a fraud. 7. But for the picture no one (to understand) the story. 8. But for the picture they saw below the title they (not to understand) the story. 9. But for the file it (not to occur) to you that the man was a criminal. 10. But for the file it (not to occur) to you that he is a criminal. 11. But for his absent-mindedness he (to make) a good scholar. 12. But for his laziness he (to make) a good student. I’m sure he wasn’t as stupid as they say he was. 13. But for her nagging, theirs (to be) a good marriage. But she couldn’t stop. That was her nature.

Exercise 47. Use the correct form of the infinitives in brackets.

1. But for the rain we (to go) down to the country. 2. Her fleshless face (lo look like) the face of a mummy, but for the restless brightness of her little black eyes. 3. But for her I (not to finish) my work in time. 4. But for him she still (to be) in Minsk now. 5. But for the drought you (not to catch) a cold. 6. But for the headache 1 (to join) to your company. 7. But for the rainy weather the football match (to call off). 8. But for his stupid jokes I (not to start) a bargain. 9. But for his last remark she (to stay) here longer. 10. Nobody (to recognize him) but for his smile. 11. I (to understand) that book better but for the French expressions the author seemed to have been fond of. I did not know French as well as I do now. 12. But for his looks he (can become) a great actor. 13. But for Gerald’s childish behaviour the party (to be) a success.

Exercise 48. Complete the following sentences.

1. But for the price... 2. But for the late hour... 3. But for his/her total lack of courage... 4. But for his/her lack of ambition... 5. But for their bad luck... 6. But for the noise... 7. But for the fog... 8. But for the nervous strain... 9. But for his/her poor health... 10. But for their constant lack of money... 11. But for his/her admirable integrity...

Exercise 49. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1. Если бы не велосипед, он нас бы не догнал. 2. Если бы не ваша беспечность, несчастного случая не произошло бы. 3. Если бы не его сообразительность, мы бы не сделали перевод так быстро. 4. Если бы не дождь, мы могли бы поехать за город. 5. Если бы не моя болезнь, я бы уже окончил университет. 6. Если бы не такси, я, возможно, опоздал бы на поезд. 7. Если бы не ваша помощь, я бы не смог кончить вчера работу. 8. Если бы акустика в этом зале не была такой хорошей, мы бы ничего не услышали. 9. Если бы не операция, больной, возможно, умер бы. 10. Если бы не случай, мы никогда бы не встретились. 11. Если бы не его акцепт, никто не сказал бы, что он русский. 12. Если бы не этот фильм ужасов, мы бы лучше спали прошлой ночью. 13. Если бы не его терпение, мы бы ничего не достигли.

*Exercise 50. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Если бы не иллюстрации, книгу невозможно было бы читать: она слишком скучная. 2. Если бы не её отчет, мы бы так и не узнали всей правды. 3. Джоан подумала, что если бы не помощь и поддержка Лилиан, она бы вряд ли пережила эти тяжелые дни. 4. Если бы не его странное поведение, мы бы не заметили, что он заболел. 5. Если бы не его четкие указания, мы бы уже давно заблудились, верно? 6. Если бы не её глупая шутка, всё могло бы закончиться хорошо. Они бы не поссорились. 7. Если бы не ваша предвзятость, нам всем было бы гораздо легче работать. 8. Если бы не вышеперечисленные (listed above) недочеты, работа была бы просто великолепной. 9. Если бы не терпение и понимание всей семьи, Джеральд никогда бы не стал столь известным писателем. 10. Если бы не её семья, они бы уже давно поженились. 11. Если бы не погода, мы бы лежали сейчас на пляже, вместо того, чтобы сидеть в гостинице. 12. «Если бы не твое упрямство, Томас», сказала Анн, «с тобой было бы легче иметь дело». 13. Его поведение просто невыносимо! Если бы не он, мы бы давно закончили работать и разошлись по домам.

Exercise 51 Analyze the form of the verb in the following sentences.

1. If it hadn’t been for Damien’s help, I would never be where I am. 2. Had it not been for Damien’s help, I would never be where I am. 3. If it were not for your inefficiency, you wouldn’t be losing one job after another. 4. “Another masterpiece, I’m sure.” “If it hadn’t been for your support, I wouldn’t have managed,” he replied bitterly. 5. If it hadn’t been for her talent for intrigue, she wouldn’t have outwitted her rivals. 6. If it were not for your impatience, you’d find the task less exasperating. 7. If it hadn’t been for your groundless suspicions, you wouldn’t have hurt her feelings. 8. Were it not for your groundless suspicions, you wouldn’t have hurt her feelings. 9. If it hadn’t been for the accident, your friends would be here already. 10. If it hadn’t been for that slight misunderstanding, she might have been treated better. 11. If it hadn’t been for that minor mistake, Marshall would stand at least fifty/fifty chance of winning. 12. If it hadn’t been for him, wouldn’t we have been asked to stay on? But his presence was intolerable.

Exercise 52. Look at the sentences in Exercise 45 and extend “but for”-phrases according to the pattern.

Pattern:

a) But for your advice the problem wouldn’t have been solved.

If it hadn’t been for your advice, the problem wouldn’t have been solved.

(Had it not been for your advice, the problem wouldn’t have been solved.)

b) But for his efficiency it would have taken him much longer to solve that problem.

If it were not for his efficiency, it would have taken him much longer to solve that problem.

(Were it not for his efficiency, it would have taken him much longer to solve that problem.)

Exercise 53. Divide into two teams. In turns, give each other the beginnings of the sentences. The second team has to complete them. Your sentences should begin with “If it were not for.../If it hadn’t been for...”