Conditional meaning without explicit IF clauses
Q1. ___ your help, I would have failed
BUT FOR means IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR. Help was given. Failure was averted. Gratitude is expressed.
Q2. ___ the map, we would have been lost
WITHOUT implies condition. Maps are consulted. Paths are found. Navigation succeeds.
Q3. ___ the warning, the accident would have happened
BUT FOR introduces prevention. Warnings are given. Accidents are avoided. Caution prevails.
Q4. ___ your support, this would have been impossible
WITHOUT acknowledges necessity. Support was provided. Impossible became possible. Teamwork triumphs.
Q5. Which phrase can replace 'If it had not been for'?
BUT FOR is the formal equivalent. Latin roots. Legal precision. Conditional meaning is preserved.