ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: 'were it not'?

katsudon — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 03:27:01 GMT

Warrener wrote:

Here is a sentence:

That half of the light would be lost were it not for the extraordinary structure of the scales.

Is this a special grammar usage?

It means the same thing as,

If the scales didn't have the extraordinary structure [that] they do, then that half of the light would be lost.

Re: 'were it not'?

milky — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 01:18:56 GMT

Warrener wrote:

Here is a sentence:

That half of the light would be lost were it not for the extraordinary structure of the scales.

Is this a special grammar usage?

It's in the subjunctive mood. It expresses a contrary to fact situation.

Re: 'were it not'?

paco2004 — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 04:09:51 GMT

"Were it not for X" is synonymous to "if there were not X".

paco

'were it not'?

warrener — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 03:39:44 GMT

Here is a sentence:

That half of the light would be lost were it not for the extraordinary structure of the scales.

Is this a special grammar usage?