Is a comma or "if" needed in this sentence

Question

"X might not have been made had money been a priority"

We are discussing with friend about this sentence, which I had trouble understanding at first.

To me, it'd have been more idiomatic adding "if" or a comma in the middle like :

"X might not have been made if money had been a priority"

"X might not have been made, had money been a priority"

As we are both natively French, it may be me, trying to "frenchize" the sentence, am I ?

But, is the first one correct, or does it require to be modified ? — mveroone, Dec 09 '13 at 13:03
You don't need comma with "if" in your sentence. You're right in using comma with "had" sentence. Both of them are correct. — Dhaval, Dec 09 '13 at 13:10
See http://english.stackexchange.com/q/1308 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/95741 http://english.stackexchange.com/q/48819 — tchrist, Dec 09 '13 at 15:12

tchrist · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-09T15:24:22.687

1

The protasis (the “iffy” part) of an English conditional sentence has never strictly required an if or an unless, no matter whether it should fall before the apodosis (the “thenny” part) or after it. You just need a bit of inversion:

Should anyone call, we shall notify you immediately.

Were it not so, I would have told you.

edited Dec 09 '13 at 15:24

answered Dec 09 '13 at 15:08

tchrist

134,759

Thanks, the 'if' being 'out', now can this sentence be constructed without comma to seperate protasis and apodosis ? – mveroone Dec 09 '13 at 16:19

Is a comma or "if" needed in this sentence

1 Answers1