If it were not for ...
If it hadn’t been for ...
BUT FOR ...
Exercise 1
Translate the following sentences from English into Russian.
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If it hadn't been for his call, I wouldn't have been late for work.
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If it hadn't been for Shirley's letter, we would never have learnt the truth.
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If it were not for my headache, I'd be quite fine.
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If it were not for your French classes, you wouldn't speak French so fluently.
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But for the fog we would have continued our way.
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She would be considered beautiful but for her thin lips.
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If it were not for my heavy bag, I'd prefer to walk.
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Nobody would say he is an American but for his accent.
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If it hadn't been for Teddy's naughtiness, he would be the best pupil in my class.
10. If it were not for my imagination, I wouldn't get into trouble so often.
Exercise 2
Paraphrase the following sentences according to the pattern.
A
> Pattern: If I didn't have a sore throat, I would go to school.
If it were not for my sore throat, I would go to school.
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If the print weren't so small, I would read the book quickly.
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It would be impossible to do the work in time if he didn't help us.
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No one would believe him if he didn't have such a charming smile.
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If the climate were not so hot there, he would go there with us.
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If he were not so impatient, he would make a good teacher.
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If she were not so intolerant, she would be a better friend.
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She wouldn't be able to keep in touch with her parents if she didn't write them regularly.
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If her health weren't so poor, she'd go out more often.
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If the case were not so important, I would've never asked you to help me.
10. If it were not raining now, we'd walk our dog.
В
> Pattern: If I hadn’t had a sore throat yesterday, 1 would have gone to school.
If it hadn't been for my sore throat yesterday, I would have gone to school.
1. If he hadn't come, we wouldn't have stopped quarrelling so soon.
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If the print hadn't been so small, I would have read this book sooner.
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If we hadn't seen the scar on his chin, nobody would have recognized him.
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If it hadn't been so late, I would have stayed there longer.
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If it hadn't been so dark, they would not have lost their way.
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If he hadn't had an urgent matter to attend to, he wouldn't have left us so soon.
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If the weather hadn't been so nasty yesterday, we would have gone to the country.
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If our friends hadn't come, the party wouldn't have been a success.
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If we hadn't visited that museum, the tour wouldn't have been quite so interesting.
10. If the guide hadn't been so helpful, we would have lost our way.
Exercise 3
Paraphrase the sentences from Exercise 2 according to the pattern.
► Pattern: a) If it were not for the sore throat, I would go to school.
But for the sore throat, I would go to school.
b) If it hadn’t been for the sore throat, I would have gone to school. But for the sore throat, I would have gone to school.
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Exercise
4
Complete the following sentences.
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But for the weather ...
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But for his accent...
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If it were not for his politeness ...
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If it hadn't been for their bad luck…
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But for his smoking ...
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If it were not for the noise ...
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If it hadn't been for the pain ...
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But for his bad behaviour...
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If it were not for the rain ...
10. If it hadn't been for his advice ...
Exercise 5
Translate into English.
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Если бы не важность этого дела, я бы остался дома.
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Мы бы так и не узнали ничего о нём, если бы не этот случай.
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Если бы не неожиданный приезд моего брата, я пошёл бы в кино с вами.
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Если бы не его упрямство, он уже тогда принял бы вашу помощь.
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Если бы не ваша невнимательность, вы бы написали контрольную работу гораздо лучше.
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Если бы она не была такой рассеянной, то не потеряла бы кошелёк.
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Энтони никогда не стал бы столь известным учёным, если бы не его талант.
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Если бы Джейн так не везло, она бы не выигрывала всё время в карты.
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Никто ничего бы не узнал, если бы не твоя болтливость. (indiscretion)
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Если бы не шпаргалки (cribs), он никогда не сдал бы экзамен.
11. Лесли имел бы гораздо больше друзей, если бы не его отвратительный характер.
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