Compare examples: t lisa has lost her watch. She tells Sue: lISA: I ve lOSt my watch. Have you seen it anywhere? SUE: No , bu t if I find it, I ll tell you. In this example, Sue feels there is a rcal possibility that she will find the watch. So she saYS: _-- -if_ -- fin-- d-- o_00-- _I _II_00_00 1 2 Joo say If I found a wallet in dlC street, I d take it t o the policestation. This is a different type of 5iru3tion. Here, doesn t expect to find a wailer in thestreet: he is inragin; lg a situation that will probably not happen. So he says: if Ifound ... , ( d I would) . . ot if I find .. . ,1 11 .. . ) Unit 38 I f I do nd I f I did .. . When you imagine something like this, you if past if I found I if there was I if we didn t etc.). Bu t the meaning is t past: o What would you do if you won a million pounds? (we don t really expect this to o I don t really wanr to go ro their parry, but I probably will go. They d be upset if I didn t go. o If there was or were) an election tomorrow, wh o would you vote for? For if .. . was/were, Unit 39C. 7 6 We do nOI normally would in the if-part of the sentence: o I d be very frightened if somebody pointed a gun al me. 1Ot ifsomebod) would point) o I f I didn t go to t eir parry, they d be upset. ot If I wouldn t gol But you can use if .. . would when you ask somebod ro do something: o from a formal letter) I would b grateful if you would let me know your de ision as soon as possible. In the other part of the sentence (not the if-part) we use would ( d) I wouldn t: o If you took more exercise, you d you would) feel better. o I m not tired. If Iwent to bed now. I wouldn t sleep. o Would you mind if I used your p one? Could and might arc also possible: o If you took more exercise, you might feel better. 1= it is possible that you would feel better) o If it sropped raining, we could go ol;1t. we would be able to go our) Do not use when in sente nces like those on this pa ge : o They d be upset if t didn t go t o their party. ot when I didn t go) o Wh t would you do if you were bitten by a snake? ot when you were bitten) WiII- Units 21-22 If and when - Unit 250 Would - Unit 36 If I knew - Unit 39 If I had known - Unit 40
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