Unit 38: if I do ... and if I did ...

Use if + present (if we go) for something that may well happen, and if + past (if we went) for something that will not happen or that you do not expect to happen. The past form here does not refer to the past.

Go to the exercises

A if we get and if we got

(1) Nia and Bethan are going to Cardiff for the day. They have not yet decided how.

Nia asks whether they should drive or get the coach. Bethan says: If we get the coach, it'll be cheaper.

For Bethan the coach is still a real possibility, so she uses if + present and will.

(2) In the end they decide to drive. Later Bethan tells her brother Owen how they are travelling. She says: If we got the coach, it would be cheaper, but driving is quicker.

Bethan now knows that they are not going to get the coach. She is describing a situation that will not happen, so she uses if + past and would.

If we get the coach, it'll be cheaper.
We're driving. If we got the coach, it would be cheaper, but driving's quicker.

B if + past for things that will not happen

When we talk about something that will not happen, or that we do not expect to happen, we use if + past (if we went, if there was, if you found and so on).

The form is past. The meaning is not. These sentences are about now or the future.

Compare if I find and if I found:

Sentence	What the speaker thinks
If you find my scarf, could you drop it round?	The scarf may well turn up.
If you found a bag of cash on the bus, what would you do?	This is not expected to happen.

What would you do if you inherited a castle? (I do not really expect this to happen.)
If there was a general strike next week, how would you get to work? (There will not be one.)
I'd be surprised if Mum didn't ring on my birthday. (I expect her to ring.)
I think I left my scarf in your car. If you find it, could you drop it round?
If you found a bag of cash on the bus, what would you do with it?

C would goes in the other half

We do not normally use would in the if-part of the sentence. Write if somebody scratched, not ~~if somebody would scratch~~.

In the other part of the sentence we use would ('d) / wouldn't.

Could and might are also possible in that part:

Form	Meaning
might	perhaps it would happen
could	it would be possible, we would be able to

I'd be furious if somebody scratched my car. (not if somebody would scratch)
If we drove, we'd get there sooner. (not If we would drive)
I'm not having another coffee. If I had one now, I wouldn't sleep tonight.
What would you do if you got stuck in a lift?
If I got a pay rise, I might buy a new car. (= perhaps I would buy one)
If the rain stopped, we could walk to the pub. (= we would be able to walk)

Exercises

38.1 Complete the sentences, using one of these verbs. Each verb is used once.

diddroppedfoundhappenedlostwaswent

If you found a twenty-pound note on the floor of the chippy, would you hand it in?
If you found a twenty-pound note on the floor of the chippy, would you hand it in?
Mind that teapot. If you it, it would smash.
These are my grandad's war medals. I'd be heartbroken if I them.
I don't think the factory will close, but if that , half the town would be out of work.
We're planning a trip to Scotland next summer. If we in August, would you like to come with us?
Kyle has revised for weeks. I'd be very surprised if he badly in the test.
If there a power cut tonight, would you know where the torches are?

38.2 What do you say in each situation? Choose a or b.

You have entered a baking competition, but you know you have no chance of winning. Which do you say? a If I win, I'll give the prize to charity. b If I won, I'd give the prize to charity.
b
If I won, I'd give the prize to charity.
You are not going to rent out your spare room, because it is tiny. Which do you say? a If I rent out the box room, nobody will pay much for it. b If I rented out the box room, nobody would pay much for it.
You see your cousin Leanne every Sunday. A friend wants to give her a message. Which do you say? a If I see Leanne, I'll pass it on. b If I saw Leanne, I'd pass it on.
You do not expect the river to flood. Which do you say? a What will you do if the river floods? b What would you do if the river flooded?
You have never been stopped by the police. You can only imagine it. Which do you say? a I don't know what I'll say if the police stop me. b I don't know what I'd say if the police stopped me.
A woman stops you and asks the way to the station. Which do you say? a If you turn left at the lights, you'll see it straight ahead. b If you turned left at the lights, you'd see it straight ahead.
You are on a train. There is an emergency handle by the door. Nobody is going to pull it. Which do you say? a What will happen if somebody pulls that handle? b What would happen if somebody pulled that handle?

38.3 Complete the sentences, using the words in brackets.

I'd be livid if somebody stole (somebody / steal) my bike.
I'd be livid if somebody stole my bike.
We can't afford a new kitchen. If (we / buy) one, we'd have to take out a loan.
If you won a holiday for two, who (you / take)?
Don't lend Darren any money. If (he / ask) me, I wouldn't give him a penny.
I don't think Mo and Priya will move to Spain. (I / be) astonished if they did.
If (somebody / offer) me a job in Edinburgh, (I / take) it.
(you / be) worried if (you / hear) a strange noise downstairs at night?
What (you / do) if (you / be) on a train and (it / break) down in a tunnel?

38.4 Write a sentence beginning If ... for each situation, using the words in brackets.

We're not going to get the 6.15 bus. (we / be / late for work) If we ...
If we got the 6.15 bus, we'd be late for work.
If we got the 6.15 bus, we'd be late for work.
We're not going to book a taxi. (it / cost / a fortune) If we ...
There's no point in asking Ruth to help. (she / not / have / time) If I ...
Gethin has no plans to sell his van. (it / hard / to manage without it) If he ...
Hannah is not going to enter the race. (she / not / win) If she ...

if I do ... and if I did ...