38. IF I DO ….. and IF I DID …… ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

38. IF I DO ….. and IF I DID ……

A	Compare these examples: (1) LISA: Shall we go by bus or by train? JESS: If we go by bus, it will be cheaper. For jess, it is possible that they will go by bus, so she says: If we go by bus, it will be ...   (2) Lisa and Jess decide to go by train. Later, Jess talks to Joe. JOE: How are you going to travel? JESS: We're going by train. If we went by bus, it would be cheaper, but the train is quicker. Now Jess knows they are not going to travel by bus, so she says: If we went by bus, it would be …. (not If we go ...) When we imagine something that will not happen, or we don't expect that it will happen, we use if+ past (if we went / if there was /if you found etc.). But the meaning is not past: ·         What would you do if you won a lot of money? (we don't really expect this to happen) ·         If there was (or were) an election tomorrow, who would you vote for? For if …. was/were, see Unit 39C. Compare if I find and if I found:  ·         I think I left my watch at your house. If you find it, can you call me? ·         but If you found a wallet in the street, what would you do with it?
B	We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence: ·         I'd be very scared if somebody pointed a gun at me. (not if somebody would point) ·         If we went by bus, it would be cheaper. (not If we would go) But you can use if ... would when you ask somebody to do something: ·         (from a forma/letter) I would be grateful if you would let me know your decision as soon as possible.
C	In the other part of the sentence (not the if-part) we use would ('d) I wouldn't: ·         What would you do if you were bitten by a snake? ·         I'm not going to bed yet. I'm not tired. If I went to bed now, I wouldn't sleep. ·         Would you mind if I used your phone? Could and might are also possible: ·         If I won a lot of money, I might buy a house. (= it is possible that I would buy a house) ·         If it stopped raining, we could go out. (=we would be able to go out)

EXERCISES

38.1	What do you say in these situations? 1 Of course you don't expect to win the lottery. Which do you say? a If I win the lottery, I'll buy a big house. b If I won the lottery, I'd buy a big house. √ (b is correct) 2 You're not going to sell your car because it's old and not worth much. Which do you say? a If I sell my car, I won't get much money for it. b If I sold my car, I wouldn't get much money for it. 3 You often see Sarah. A friend of yours wants to contact her. Which do you say? a If I see Sarah, I'll tell her to call you. b If I saw Sarah, I'd tell her to call you. 4 You don't expect that there will be a fire in the building. Which do you say? a What will you do if there is a fire in the building? b What would you do if there was a fire in the building? 5 You've never lost your passport. You can only imagine it. a I don't know what I'll do if I lose my passport. b I don't know what I'd do if I lost my passport. 6 Somebody stops you and asks the way to a bank. Which do you say? a If you go right at the end of this street, you'll see a bank on your left. b If you went right at the end of this street, you'd see a bank on your left. 7 You're in a lift. There is an emergency button. Nobody is going to press it. Which do you say? a What will happen if somebody presses that button? b What would happen if somebody pressed that button?
38.2	Put the verb into correct form. 1 I'd be very scared if somebody ____pointed____(point) a gun at me. 2 I can't afford to buy a car. If I _____ (buy) a car, I'd have to borrow the money. 3 Don't lend Amy your car. If she ______ (ask) me, I wouldn't lend her mine. 4 If the computer factory closed down, many people _____ (lose) their jobs. 5 I don't think Gary and Emma will get married. I _______ (be) amazed if they did. 6 What would you do if you ____ (be) in a lift and it _____ (stop) between floors? 7 If somebody _____ (give) me £10,000, I _______ (have) a very long holiday.
38.3	Write sentences beginning If .... 1 We've decided not to catch the 10.30 train. (arrive too early) ______ If we caught the 10.30 train, we’d arrive too early __________ 2 Kevin is not going to do his driving test now. (fail) If he ______________________________ 3 We've decided not to stay at a hotel. (cost too much) If _________________________________ 4 Sally isn't going to leave her job. (not I get another one) ___________________________________ 5 We've decided not to invite Ben to the party. (have to invite his friends too) ___________________________________ 6 I'm not going to tell him what happened. (not /believe me) ___________________________________
38.4	Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. 1 If I won a lot of money, ____ I’d buy a house ______ 2 I’d be very angry if__________________ 3 If you bought a car, _______________________ 4 I'd be surprised if _________________________ 5 Would you mind if _______________

ANSWER KEY

38.1 2 b 3 a 4 b 5 b 6 a 7 b 38.2 2 bought 3 asked 4 would lose 5 'd be /would be 6 were ... stopped 7 gave ... 'd have /would have 38.3 2 If he did his driving test now, he'd fail (it) /... he would fail (it). 3 If we stayed at a hotel, it would cost too much. 4 If she left her job, she wouldn't get another one. 5 If we invited Ben (to the party), we'd have to invite his friends too. / ... we would have to ... 6 If I told him what happened, he wouldn't believe me. 38.4 Example answers: 2 I'd be very angry if somebody broke into my house. 3 If you bought a car, it would cost you a lot to maintain it. 4 I'd be surprised if the economic situation improved. 5 Would you mind if I didn't go out with you tonight?