If it were not for water, nothing could live. (関西大 <改>)
もし水がなければ,何も生きることはできない。
以下は全て「Aがなければ」を表す表現です。
(1) if it were not for A = were it not for A (仮定法過去)
(2) if it had not been for A = had it not been for A (仮定法過去完了)
(3) but for A
(4) without A
with A は「Aがあれば」を表し,ちょうど逆の表現になります。
(5) without A ⇔ with A
With a little more care, you wouldn't make such a silly mistake. (ロイヤル英文法)
もう少し注意していれば,
Without appropriate software, a computer would be a mere box. (ロイヤル英文法)
適切なソフトがなければ,