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Paint cpu 325 Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Stylistic inversion in the second conditional

Please, help me with the issue of stylistic inversion in case of the second conditionals sentences. I know that it's correct to say "Were I you, I would study more". How about such a sentence "If you had six brothers, you would never be bored'

So I can paraphrase it "Were you to have six brothers, ......" Can I say "Did you have six brothers, ....." If not, why?

  

Top answer

" I've never heard or seen that construction, or any others with 'did'. ". However, it would be very unusual to hear or see this these days as it has a sort of old-fashioned ring.

— CalifJim

  • " I've never heard or seen that construction, or any others with 'did'.
  • ".
  • However, it would be very unusual to hear or see this these days as it has a sort of old-fashioned ring.
  • 'be' works in a similar way.
  • If you were there, you would see ....
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2 Answers
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paint cpu 325Can I say "Did you have six brothers, ....."

I've never heard or seen that construction, or any others with 'did'.

'have' is unusual, however, in that it allows inversion even when it is not an auxiliary verb, so you could write "Had you six brothers, ...". However, it would be very unusual to hear or see this these days as it has a sort

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Thank you for your answer!!! I guess this 'Were I you....., ' is more of British.

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