A：沒錯! 英文的條件句有三種情況可以省略 if：當條件句的動詞部分含有 were (與現在事實相反)、had (與過去事實相反) 或 should (與未來事實相反 — 即假設的情況不太可能發生) 時，我們可將它們移到句首並省略 if，使句子變成倒裝句。例如：
- If I were you, I wouldn’t do that.
= Were I you, I wouldn’t do that. (如果我是你，就不會那麼做了) - If he had taken my advice, he might not have made such a bad mistake.
= Had he taken my advice, he might not have made such a bad mistake. (要是他聽我的勸告，就不會犯這樣嚴重的錯誤了) - If I should have a chance to try it, I would do it in another way.
= Should I have a chance to try it, I would do it in another way. (要是我有機會試一試，我會用另一種方法去做) — Should 係表示有機會一試的可能性微乎其微。 - If we were to have children, we’d need to move to a bigger house.
= Were we to have children, we’d need to move to a bigger house. (如果/要是將來有小孩，我們必須換一間較大的房子) –「were to + 原形動詞」是另一種與未來事實相反的條件句型。
如果條件句為否定形式，那麼在寫成倒裝句時，NOT 必須置於主詞的後面，不能將它與 were、had 或 should 縮寫後移到句首。例如：
- Were she not my daughter, I’d have no hesitation in phoning the police. (如果她不是我女兒，我會毫不猶豫地打電話報警) (正)
- Weren’t she my daughter, I’d have no hesitation in phoning the police. (誤)
- Had it not rained last Saturday, we would’ve celebrated Tom’s birthday with a barbecue in the garden. (上週六要是沒下雨，我們會在花園烤肉慶祝湯姆的生日) (正)
- Hadn’t it rained last Saturday, we would’ve celebrated Tom’s birthday with a barbecue in the garden. (誤)
- Should you not wish to sign the contract, you must let them know before the end of June. (要是你不想簽約，你必須在六月底之前讓他們知道) (正)
- Shouldn’t you wish to sign the contract, you must let them know before the end of June. (誤)
但如果將倒裝句改回正常的詞序，那麼 were、had 或 should 就可與 not 縮寫在一起。請看下面的例句 (其它條件句亦同)：
- If she weren’t my daughter, I’d have no hesitation in phoning the police and telling them about the crime that has been committed. (如果她不是我女兒，我會毫不猶豫地打電話報警，告訴警方她所犯的罪)