Fiche à imprimer : L'inversion conditionnelle : Had I known, Should you need, Were I you

Dans un anglais soutenu (lettres, discours, essays), on peut supprimer if et inverser le sujet et l'auxiliaire. Trois auxiliaires permettent cette inversion.

Inversion	Équivalent avec if	Sens
Should you need help, call me.	If you need help, call me.	Si jamais vous avez besoin d'aide...
Were I you, I would accept.	If I were you, I would accept.	Si j'étais toi / à ta place...
Were it not for your help, I would fail.	If it weren't for your help, ...	Sans ton aide...
Had I known, I would have come.	If I had known, I would have come.	Si j'avais su, je serais venu.
Had it not been for the rain, we would have won.	If it hadn't been for the rain, ...	Sans la pluie, nous aurions gagné.

Les points importants

La négation se place après le sujet, sans contraction : Had I not seen it (et non ~~Hadn't I seen it~~).

Should en tête de phrase n'exprime pas le conseil, mais une éventualité (« si jamais », « au cas où ») : c'est très courant dans les courriers formels.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Si vous avez des questions, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter.

Mise en situation : un regret entre amis

Lena : Had I known you were in hospital, I would have visited you!

Si j'avais su que tu étais à l'hôpital, je serais venue te voir !

Ben : Don't worry. Were it not for my brother, I wouldn't have told anyone.

Ne t'inquiète pas. Sans mon frère, je ne l'aurais dit à personne.

Lena : Well, should you need anything, just call me.

Bon, si jamais tu as besoin de quoi que ce soit, appelle-moi.

Ben : Thanks. Were I you, I wouldn't worry so much!

Merci. À ta place, je ne m'inquiéterais pas autant !

À retenir

Should + sujet + base = si jamais (Should you need help...).
Were + sujet = si + prétérit (Were I you...).
Had + sujet + p.p. = si + past perfect (Had I known...).
Négation après le sujet : Had I not..., Were it not for...

Exercice 1 : L'inversion conditionnelle : exercice 1 (QCM)

« Si j'avais su, je serais venu. »
1. Have I known, I would have come.
2. Had I known, I would have come.
3. Did I know, I would have come.
« Si j'étais toi, j'accepterais. »
1. Was I you, I would accept.
2. Am I you, I would accept.
3. Were I you, I would accept.
« Si jamais vous avez besoin d'aide, appelez-moi. »
1. Should you need help, call me.
2. Did you need help, call me.
3. Would you need help, call me.
___ it not for the rain, we would have won.
1. Has
2. Had
3. Did
« Sans ton aide, j'échouerais. »
1. Was it not for your help, I would fail.
2. Were it not for your help, I would fail.
3. Weren't it for your help, I would fail.
Équivalent de « Had she studied, she would have passed » :
1. If she had studied, she would have passed.
2. If she studied, she would pass.
3. If she has studied, she will pass.
Quelle phrase est correcte ?
1. Had I not seen it, I wouldn't have believed it.
2. Had not I seen it, I wouldn't have believed it.
3. Hadn't I seen it, I wouldn't have believed it.
« Si vous avez des questions, n'hésitez pas. » (lettre formelle)
1. Have you any questions, do not hesitate.
2. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate.
3. Would you have any questions, do not hesitate.
Équivalent de « If I were rich, I would travel » :
1. Should I rich, I would travel.
2. Were I rich, I would travel.
3. Had I rich, I would travel.
___ the train be late, take a taxi. (si jamais)
1. Were
2. Should
3. Had

Exercice 2 : L'inversion conditionnelle : exercice 2 (à compléter)

.......................... I known, I would have helped you. (si j'avais su)
.......................... I you, I would apologise. (si j'étais)
.......................... you need anything, call me. (si jamais)
Were it .......................... for you, I would be lost. (sans toi)
Had it not .......................... for the storm, we would have arrived on time.
Had she .......................... harder, she would have passed. (study)
Had I not .......................... the bus, I would have been on time. (miss)
Should you .......................... any questions, please contact us. (have)
Were I .......................... , I would buy a castle. (riche)
Had they .......................... the truth, they would have reacted. (know)

Exercice 3 : L'inversion conditionnelle : mise en situation

Tu écris une lettre formelle : « Si vous avez besoin d'informations... ».
1. Would you need more information, contact me.
2. Should you need further information, please contact me.
3. If you would need informations, contact me.
Tu regrettes : si tu avais su, tu serais venu.
1. Had I known, I would have come.
2. Have I known, I would come.
3. Did I know, I would have come.
Tu conseilles un ami (style soutenu) : à sa place, tu refuserais.
1. Was I you, I would refuse.
2. Were I you, I would refuse.
3. Am I you, I refuse.
Tu remercies : sans ton aide, tu n'aurais jamais réussi.
1. Had it not been for your help, I would never have succeeded.
2. Hadn't it been for your help, I would never succeed.
3. Was it not for your help, I would never have succeeded.
Tu dis : si jamais le train a du retard, prends un taxi.
1. Would the train be late, take a taxi.
2. Should the train be late, take a taxi.
3. Had the train late, take a taxi.
Dans un essay : « Sans Internet, le monde serait très différent ».
1. Had not the Internet, the world would be different.
2. Was it not for the Internet, the world would be different.
3. Were it not for the Internet, the world would be very different.
Tu regrettes : si elle n'avait pas raté le bus, elle aurait été à l'heure.
1. Hadn't she missed the bus, she would have been on time.
2. Had not she missed the bus, she would be on time.
3. Had she not missed the bus, she would have been on time.
Tu transformes « If I had more time, I would read more ».
1. Had I more time, I would have read more.
2. Should I had more time, I would read more.
3. Were I to have more time, I would read more.
Un hôtel écrit : « Si vous souhaitez annuler, prévenez-nous ».
1. Should you wish to cancel, please let us know.
2. Would you wish to cancel, let us know.
3. Had you wished to cancel, let us know.
Tu dis : s'ils étaient arrivés plus tôt, ils auraient vu le spectacle.
1. Had they arrived earlier, they would have seen the show.
2. Were they arrived earlier, they would see the show.
3. Should they arrive earlier, they would have seen the show.

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. b) Had I known, I would have come. · 2. c) Were I you, I would accept. · 3. a) Should you need help, call me. · 4. b) Had · 5. b) Were it not for your help, I would fail. · 6. a) If she had studied, she would have passed. · 7. a) Had I not seen it, I wouldn't have believed it. · 8. b) Should you have any questions, do not hesitate. · 9. b) Were I rich, I would travel. · 10. b) Should

Exercice 2

1. Had · 2. Were · 3. Should · 4. not · 5. been · 6. studied · 7. missed · 8. have · 9. rich · 10. known

Exercice 3

1. b) Should you need further information, please contact me. · 2. a) Had I known, I would have come. · 3. b) Were I you, I would refuse. · 4. a) Had it not been for your help, I would never have succeeded. · 5. b) Should the train be late, take a taxi. · 6. c) Were it not for the Internet, the world would be very different. · 7. c) Had she not missed the bus, she would have been on time. · 8. c) Were I to have more time, I would read more. · 9. a) Should you wish to cancel, please let us know. · 10. a) Had they arrived earlier, they would have seen the show.