Uses
of If and Wish( Part – 1)
Compare
these examples:
1.
Sara has lost her watch. She tells Sue:
Sara:
I've lost my watch. Have you seen it anywhere?
SUE: No, but if I find it, I'll tell you.
In this
example, Sue feels there is a real possibility that she will find the watch. So
she says: if l find …….. , I’ll……
2.
Joe says: If I found a wallet in the street, I'd
take it to the police station.
This is a different
type of situation. Here, Joe doesn't expect to find a wallet in the street; he
is imagining a situation
that will probably not happen. So he says:
if I found……….I'd (=I would) . . . . (not if I find ……… , I’ll ……)
When
you imagine something like this, you use if + past - (if I found / if there was
/ if we didn't etc.). If I won a
million pounds
But the meaning is not past:
Ø
What would you do if you won a million pounds? (we
don't really expect this to happen)
Ø
I don't
really want to go to their party, but I probably will go. They'd be upset if r
didn't go.
We
do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence:
Ø
I'd be very frightened if somebody pointed a gun
at me. (not if somebody would point)
Ø
If I
didn't go to their party, they'd be upset. (not If I wouldn't go)
But
you can use if ... would when you ask somebody to do something:
Ø
(from a formal letter) I would be grateful if
you would me know your decision as soon as possible.
In the other part of the sentence (not the
if-part) we use would/ wouldn't:
Ø
If you took more exercise, you'd (z you would)
feel better.
Ø
I'm not tired. If I went to bed now, I wouldn't
sleep.
Ø
Would you mind if r used your phone?
Could
and might are also possible:
ü
If you took more exercise, you might feel
better. (= it is possible that you would feel better)en
ü
If it
stopped raining, we could go out. , (= we would be able to go out)
Do
not use when in sentences like those on this page:
ü
They'd be upset if I didn't go to their party.
(not when I didn't go)
ü
What would you do if you were bitten by a snake?
(not when you were bitten)
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