所谓含蓄虚拟条件句即指将条件从句隐藏在上下文一定的短语中的一类条件句，比如将条件隐含在不定式短语中，将条件隐含在分词短语中，将条件隐含在介词短语中，将条件隐含在名词短语中，将条件隐含在某些连词(如or, or else, otherwise等)中，将条件隐含在定语从句中，将条件隐含在一定的上下文中，等等。如：
To have studied harder, you would have passed the examination. 你学习更用功些，你早就考及格了。(=if you have studied harder, you…)
Failing this time, what would you do？ 假若这次失败，那你怎么办？(=If you failed this time, what…)
Without air, no one could live. 没有空气，人就不能活。(=If there were no air, no one could live.)
A true friend would not have betrayed me. 若是真正的朋友，就不会背弃我。(=If he had been a true friend, he would…)
I didn’t know that he was a cheat, or else I wouldn’t have believed him. 我不知道他是个骗子，不然我也不会相信他了。(or else=if I had known he was a cheat)
Anyone who had seen that painting might have taken it for a photo. 凡是看过那画的人，都可能把它看成是照片。(=If anyone had seen that painting…)
Don’t bother to read all these papers. It would take too long. 不要费事看所有这些文件了，那会花太多时间。(=…If you read all these papers, It would take too long)