Use
It is possible to fulfil a condition which is given in the if-clause.
Form
if clause
main clause
will-future
or
infinitive
or
Modal + infinitive
Simple Present
Examples
If I study,
If you see John tonight,
If Ben gets up early,
I will pass the exams.
tell him to e-mail me.
he can catch the bus.
The if-clause can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.
If I study,
I will pass the exams
I will pass the exams.
if I study.
Use
It is theoretically possible to fulfil a condition which is given in the if-clause.
Form
if clause
Simple Past
main clause
would + infinitive
or
could + infinitive
or
might + infinitive
Examples
If I studied,
If I studied,
I would pass the exams.
I could pass the exams.
If I studied,
I might pass the exams.
The if-clause can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.
If I studied,
I would pass the exams
I would pass the exams.
if I studied.
Use
It is impossible to fulfil a condition which is given in the if-clause.
Form
if clause
main clause
would + have + past participle
or
could + have + past participle
or
might + have + past participle
Past Perfect
Examples
If I had studied,
If I had studied,
If I had studied,
I would have passed the exams.
I could have passed the exams.
I might have passed the exams.
The if-clause can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.
If I had studied,
I would have passed the exams
I would have passed the exams.
if I had studied.
Exercises
if-clauses, type I
Complete the sentences.
1. If it (rain)
, we (stay)
at home.
2. If you (know/not)
3. My mum (bake)
the way, I (pick)
you up.
a cake if you (come)
to see us.
if-clauses, type II
Complete the sentences.
1. If you (study)
2. If I (be)
3. She (come)
harder, you (get)
rich, I (travel)
better marks in your tests.
around the world.
to the market with us if she (have/not)
to work.
if-clauses, type III
Complete the sentences.
1. If you (help)
2. I (call)
3. They (go/not)
us, we (finish)
the work in next to no time.
you earlier if I (lose/not)
to the theatre by car if the weather (be)
if-clauses, mixed
Complete the sentences.
1. If I (have)
your phone number.
a compass, I would give it to you.
better.
2. If he hadnt been ill, he (run)
the marathon.
3. If you go to Ireland, you (need)
4. We (miss/not)
a raincoat.
the train if we had got up earlier.
5. If we lived in the country, the kids (play)
6. If they (eat/not)
outside all day long.
that much, they wouldnt have got a stomach ache.
7. I will not be able to write you if you (give/not)
me your address.
1) Complete this exercise with the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.
A: We had a great time at Drew's house Sunday. Why didn't you come?
B: I had to study for Spanish.
A: If you
(come) with us, you
(see) an
awesome movie.
B: Yeah? What?
A: We rented Back to the Future. It's about a kid who time
travels back to his parents' high school days. He changes his own future.
At the end, his parents...
B: Wait-Don't tell me. If you
(tell) me the ending, you
(spoil) it for me. I want to see it myself.
A: OK. But have you ever thought about that?
B: About what?
A: About how things could be different. You grew up here in Baileyville,
and you're almost an adult now. But what
(be) like if you
your childhood
(be born) in a different
family?
B: Let's see. If I
(have) a different family, I
(not grow up) here in Baileyville.
A: And if you
(not grow up) here, I
(not
meet) you.
B: That's true. But getting back to the here-and-now, how did you do on
the Spanish test?
A: I flunked. I wish I
(not take) that course. I'm going to fail.
B: You just don't study enough. If you
you
(study) more,
(pass) this course easily this semester.
A: That's easy for you to say. You always get A's.
B: Sometimes I don't. It's not automatic. I
(not get) A's unless
(study) hard.
A: I suppose you're right.
B: If I
(be) you, I
(try) to do better on the next test.