If sentences (present/future) Tom: I think I left my lighter at your house. Have you seen it? Ann: No, but Pll look. IFT find it, Ill give it to you In this example there is a real possibility that Ann will find the lighter. So she says: “IfT find ...T'M...” (see also Unit 9c) Ann: If found a $100 bill on the street, I would keep it. ‘This is a different type of situation. Ann is not thinking about a real possibility; she is imagining the situation. So she says: “If [found .. . [would ...” (not “If I find .. re” When you imagine a future happening like this, you use a past rense form (did/came/found, etc.) after if. But the meaning is nor past: = What would you doi you won a million dollars? = Ifwe didn’t go to their party next week, they would be very angry. m= Ann wouldn’t lend me any money if] asked her. LB We do not normally use would in the if part of the sentence = I’dbe very frightened if someone pointed a gun at me. (not if someone would point) ® If we didn’t go to their party next week, they would be angry. (not if we wouldn’t go) Sometimes it is possible to say something in a formal way: = would be very grateful if you would send me your brochure and price list as soon as possible. (from a formal letter) = would, especially when you ask someone to do In the other part of the sentence (not the if part) we use would/wouldn’t. Would is often shortened to ’d, especially in spoken English: = Ifyou stopped smoking, you’d probably feel healthier. = They wouldn’t come to the party if you invited them. You can also use could and might: = They might be angry if I didn’t visit them. (= perhaps they would be) & Ifitstopped raining, we could go out. (= we would be able to go out) Oi Do not use when in sentences like the ones in this unit: = Tom would be angry if I didn’t visit him. (nov when I didn’t visit) = What would you do if you were bitten by a snake? (not when you were) See also Unit 9c. For if sentences see also Units 35 and 36,UNIT 34 Exercises [found a $100 bill on the street, I .Wwad/a. Aeesp........ (keep) it. They'd be very angry if you ....a/dan’t..#/f.....(notvisit) them. 1, If the company offered me the job, I think I - (take) it. 2. I’m sure Liz will lend you some money. I would be very surprised if she ..... (refuse). 3, Many people would be out of work if that factory... (close) down, 4, Ifshe sold her car, she (not/get) much money for it. 5. They're expecting us. They would be disappointed if we — (notcome). 6. Would George be angry if I (take) his bieycle without asking? 7. Ann gave me this ring. She... .. (be) terribly upset if I lost it. 8. Ifsomeone walk) in here with a gun, I'd be very frightened. 9. 10. What would happen if you . (not/go) to work tomorrow? Pi sure she ounces (understand) if you explained the situation to her. Example: Perhaps one day somebody will give you a lot of money. What. MUA YOM. MA tt SAME ane. gave. 9id.3.ae.Ot. rneney.2. 1. Perhaps one day a millionaire will ask you to marry him/her. What would you dof... 2. Pethaps one day you will lose your passport in a foreign country. What 22... eee . 3. Perhaps one day somebody will throw an. cas at you. What 4. Perhaps one day your car will be stolen. What 5. Perhaps one day somebody will park a car on your foot. Ee ‘Answer these questions in the way show" Example: Are you going to take the 10:30 train? (we / arrive tco early) No. H.we £00k the./0:30.£0Bin, we, Wwotdld. ALIVE ERO LALLY soo 1. Ishe going to take the exam? the / fail it) No. Ifhe . she... 2. Are you going to invite Bill to the party? (I/ have to invite Linda too) No. IfI .. 3, Are you going to bed now? (I/ not sleep) No. 4 4. Ts she going to apply forthe job? (she /not ‘get ) No. soCee If and wish sentences (present) ja | Study this example situation: ‘Tom wants to call Sue, but he can’t because he doesn’t know her telephone number. He says: If knew her number, I would call her. ‘Tom says “If knew her number .....” This tells us that he doesn’t know her number. He is imagining the situation. The real situation is that he doesn’t know her number. When you imagine a situation like this, you use a past tense form (“I did / I had / I knew,” etc.) after if. But the meaning is present, not past: = Tom would travel if he had more money. (but he doesn’t have much money) m If I didn’t want to go, I wouldn't. (but I want :o go) = We wouldn't have any money if we didn’t work. (but we work) We also use the past for a present situation after wish. We use wish to say that we regret something, that something is not as we would like it to be: know it.) Do you ever wish you could fly? (You can't fly.) I wish it didn’t rain so much in this city. (It rains a lot.) © t's crowded here. I wish there weren't so many “~~ people. (There are a lot of people.) 1 wish I didn’t have to work. (I have to work.) G@ In if sentences and after wish we use were instead of was: ® If Twere you, I wouldn’t buy that coat. (but I am not you) = I'd go out if it weren’t raining. (but itis raining) = Lwish my room were larger. (but it isn’t very large) Do not use would in the if part of the sentence or after wish If were rich, I would buy a castle. (norif I would be rich) = I wish I were taller. (01 I wish I would be taller.) But sometimes I wish... would ... is possible. See Unit 37. Could sometimes means “would be able to” and sometimes “was able to”: ™ She could (= would be able to) get a job more easily if she could (= was able to) type. For if sentences and wish see also Units 34, 36, and 37, 70UNIT 35. Exercises El Put the verb into the correct form. Examples: If 2. [email protected]... (know) her number, I would call her. T meuldea’t. datdy...... (notiouy) that coat if I were you. 11 (give) you a cigarette if [had one, but I'm afraid I don’t. 2. This soup would taste better if ...-..ccceoe (have) more salt in it 3. Ifyou (not/go) to bed so late every night, you wouldn’t be so tired all the time. 4, Iwouldn’t mind living in England if the weather (be) better: 5. Pdhelp you if] (can), but I'm afraid Ican’t 6. If were you, I. (not/marry) him. 7. We would gladly buy that house ifit (not/be) so small. Ee Read the situation and write a sentence with if. Example: We don’t visit you very often because you live so far away. But if you. A0d02t. Live S0.14K. ANAS.» ME WOKld KiSIt You. raaKe atten. 1. People don’t understand him because he doesn’t speak rey clearly But if he svovne » People 2. I'm not going to buy that book because it’s too expensive. But if that book z 2 3. She doesn’t go out very often because she can’t walk without help. But if 4, He's fat because he doesn’t get any exercise. But 5. We can’t have lunch outside because it’s raining. 6. Tcan’t meet you tomorrow evening because I have to work. EE Write sentences with I wish... Example: I don’t know many people (and I’mlonely). LwishZ Anew more peoplen 1. can't give up smoking (but I'd like to). Iwish I 2. [don’t have any cigarettes (and I need one). I wish 3. George isn’t here (and Ineed him). Twish George 4, It’s cold (and I hate cold weather). I wish 5. live in New York City (and I hate New York City). I... 6. Tina can’t come to the party (she’s your best friend). 1. 7. Thave to work tomorrow (but I'd like to stay in bed)... 8. Ldon't know anything about cars (and my car has just broken down). 9. I'm not lying on a beautiful sunny beach (and that’s a shame). 1UNLT If and wish sentences (past) example situation: a Study tt Last month Ann was sick. Tom didn’t know this, and he didn’t go to see her. They met again after Ann got better. Tom said: If Thad known that you were sick, I would have gone to see you. ‘The real situation was that Tom didn’t know Ann was sick. Sohe says IfThad known... When you are talking about the past, you use the past perfect (I had done / Thad been /I had known, ete.) after if. 1 If Thad seen you when you passed me in the street, I would have said hello (but T didn’t see you) m [would have gone out if [hadn’t been so tired. (but I was too tired) ™ fhe had been looking where he was going, he wouldn’t have walked into the wall. (but he wasn’t looking) Do not use would (have) in the if part of the sentence: @ If Thad seen you, I would have said hello. (not iI would have seen) Both would and had can be shortened to ’d: 1m If 1’d seen (= had seen) you, I'd have said (= would have said) hello. Use the past perfect (I had done) after wish when you say that you regret something that happened or didn’t happen in the past: = I wish I had known that Ann was sick. I would have gone to see her. (I didn’t know that she was sick.) = [feel sick. I wish I hadn’t eaten so much, (I ate too much.) = Do you wish you had studied science instead of languages? (You didn’t study science.) = The weather was terrible. I wish it had been warmer. (It wasn’t warm.) You cannot use would have after wish: = I wish it had been warmer. (not would have been) Would have (done) is the past form of would (do): m If Thad gone to the party last night, I would be tired now. (I am not tired now — present.) m= If Thad gone to the party last night, I would have seen Ann. (I di Ann ~ past.) ‘Might have and could have are possible instead of would have: m= If'we'd played better, we might have won. (= perhaps we would have won) ™ We could have gone out if the weather hadn’t deen so bad. (= we would have been able to go out) in’t see For if sentences and wish see also Units 34, 35, and 37. nUNIT 36 Exercises 36.1] Put the verb into the correct form. Examples: 1... had.Anown. (know) that you were sick last week, I'd have gone to see you. Tom .wauldat have.taken......(notitake) the exam if he had known that it would be so difficult 1. Jim got to the bus stop in time. Ife .... would have been late for his interview. 2. It’s good that Ann reminded me about Tom's birthday. I... (forget) if she hadn't reminded me. 3. We might not have stayed at this hotel if Debbie (not/recommend) it to us. 4, T'd have sent you a postcard while I was on vacation if I... (have) your address. 36.2) Read the situation and write a sentence with if. Example: She didn’t eat anything because she wasn’t hungry. If she..4ad. been huangry,.she would have caten something. sven (miss) the bus, he 1. The accident happened because the driver in front stopped so suddenly If the driver in front 2. Ididn't wake George because I didn’t know he wanted to set up eany. tT 3. Lwas able to buy the car because Jim lent me the money. If 4, She wasn’t injured in the crash bec: If 5. You're hungry now because you didn’t have breakfast. If 6. She didn’t buy the coat because she didn't have enough money on her. if . ise she was Wearing a seat belt. Imagine that you are in each situation. Make a sentence with I wish... Example: You've eaten too much and now you feel sick. Yousay: Z.wish Lhada't eaten so.much.. 1. You've just painted the door red. Now you decide that it doesn’t look very nice You say: I wish I 2. You are walking in the country. You would like to take some photographs, but you didn’t bring your camera. You say: I 3. A good friend of yours visited your town, but unfortunately you were away when he came. So you didn’t see him. You say: 4. You've just come back from your vacation. Everything was fine except for the hotel, which wasn’t very good. You say: 3